


The Show Must Go On

by ebi_pers



Series: Please Leave All Drama On The Stage [1]
Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: AU, F/M, our main characters are teachers, rini - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:34:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 68,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22193401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ebi_pers/pseuds/ebi_pers
Summary: Ricky Bowen is new to Salt Lake City, and he's just been hired to teach music at East High. Of course, this means co-directing the musical with none other than Nini Salazar-Roberts. Sparks may fly, and legs (and hearts) will be broken. Either way, the show must go on! (AU)
Relationships: Ricky Bowen/Nini Salazar-Roberts
Series: Please Leave All Drama On The Stage [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1673623
Comments: 187
Kudos: 429





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I'm trying to get back into writing and HSMTMTS has been speaking to me a lot lately. My soft little Rini-shipping heart can't take it. So I've put together an AU where Ricky didn't grow up in Salt Lake City, and instead moved there post-college for a fresh start. Now, as East High's new music teacher, he will be co-directing the musical with Nini. Let's see where this takes us... No beta, so all mistakes are mine. Reviews are appreciated!

Ricky pulled into the parking lot at 7:45 AM, fifteen minutes earlier than the email had instructed, and took a deep breath in as he shut off the engine and wrestled the key out of the ignition. He stared out the windshield. There were quite a few cars scattered throughout the parking lot and he briefly chided himself for not checking to see if there was assigned parking for faculty. He had hoped to arrive at the same time as someone else. Another coworker, ideally friendly, who could point him to where the gym was and maybe show him around. But there was nobody in any of the parked cars. He gripped the wheel and felt the soft plastic give slightly as his fingertips bit into the material. He let out the breath.

_ It’s fine. You got this. It’s just a school. You’ve taught in one of those before. _

But although he repeated the mantra over and over again, he couldn’t escape the fact that this school was so impossibly different from his previous. For starters, he could’ve fit ten of his previous schools into East High. And for another thing, East High was in the US and his last (and only) other teaching gig had been on the other side of the world. The mantra, and all reassurance that came with it, faded from his mind. 

He checked his phone. 7:48 AM. Where was everyone? Panic began to set in and an anxious knot started working its way from the pit of Ricky’s stomach to the back of his throat. What if he had read the email wrong? What if he had mixed up the dates? What if the first day back for teachers was September 4th and not September 3rd? What if teachers had been instructed to report to West High instead of East? What if he had accidentally taken Big Red’s meds again and hallucinated waking up that morning, getting dressed in the brand new outfit his mother had insisted he buy, and driving to the school? Would he wake up any minute, still in his pajamas, tangled up in his bed sheets with no hope of possibly making it to work on time?

To his relief, a white SUV pulled into a space across from him a moment later. He reached for his backpack in the passenger seat, slowly lifting it up, trying to time his motions so that he would be able to casually fall into step with his new coworker. He watched as a redhead emerged from the SUV, her red hair falling in curls that reached just past her shoulders. She had a round face, bright and slightly rosy with makeup. She was wearing a flowy orange dress and she rummaged around in the backseat for a moment. 

Ricky slowly swung his door open, letting it creak back on its hinges. He fumbled with his keys, taking his time locking the door. Finally, when he couldn’t delay any longer, he began walking toward the redhead. She was rooting around in a pale pink purse, but she glanced up momentarily as she heard him approach. 

“Hey,” she said distractedly, fishing out a lanyard. 

“Uh, hi,” Ricky replied. 

The redhead did a double take and her expression softened into a friendly smile. “Okay, I know it’s a big school but I’m positive I’ve never seen you before. New here?” 

Ricky smiled sheepishly. “Is it obvious?” He asked.

“Only because you look a little bit like a lost puppy,” the redhead answered, sticking out her hand. “I’m Ashlyn. Caswell. History department.” 

“Ricky Bowen,” he took her hand and shook it. “I’m the new music teacher.”

“Nice to meet you, Ricky,” Ashlyn said as they started toward the building. “Is this your first teaching gig?” 

“My second, technically,” Ricky answered. “I spent a year teaching in the Philippines after I graduated.” 

“That’s awesome!” Ashlyn replied, swiping her ID and holding the door open for him. “Here, follow me. The gym’s on the lower level.” 

The first (and only) time Ricky had been inside East High was when he had interviewed for the job. And the pre-interview jitters had distracted him from just how  _ massive _ the building truly was. He had known its size theoretically, but to actually notice the vaulted ceilings, the huge skylights, and the hallways wide enough to fit a freight train made it feel all the more real. There was no way he was ever going to be able to learn where everything was, he realized.

They made their way down a flight of stairs. The gym was immediately to their right when they exited the stairwell and he followed Ashlyn in. 

If the lobby had been impressive, the gym was something else entirely. The wooden floors gleamed and the digital scoreboards looked like giant TV screens. A massive mural spelled out EAST HIGH LEOPARDS across the back wall. It was like something out of a movie. 

_ Well, technically it  _ is  _ actually out of a movie _ , Ricky thought with some amusement. East High’s claim to fame, aside from a stellar academic record and multiple state championships, was that it had been used as the backdrop for several movies and TV shows. 

Ashlyn waved to a few other women sitting in the second row of bright red bleachers. Ricky debated going with her. Perhaps she would introduce him to a few other coworkers. But he decided against it. Coming off as clingy and annoying was a surefire way to kill a first impression.

He found a spot towards the back and dropped his backpack down in front of him. Everyone seemed to be sitting in small groups, laughing and talking. Occasionally they would look around, wave to another familiar face. Nobody waved to him. In fact, nobody seemed to notice him sitting there at all. Ricky looked from face to face, trying to pick out anyone that looked just as lost as he did. Everyone else seemed to be with a group, though. 

At exactly 8:00, Principal Gutierrez walked into the gym and stood behind the podium at half-court. He was wearing a suit and dabbing at his forehead with a handkerchief. “Good morning,” he said into the microphone. The feedback reverberated throughout the gym, causing the teachers to groan. Principal Gutierrez cleared his throat and held the mic further away from his face. “Good morning, Leopards!” he tried again. There were a few mumbled, half-hearted “good mornings” in response. He dabbed at his forehead with the handkerchief again. “It certainly is good to see you all here,” he said. “Who’s ready for another incredible school year?!” 

His voice echoed in the gym, but no one answered. Finally, there was a brief “whoo!” from somewhere in the crowd.

“Thank you, EJ,” Principal Gutierrez said to a man in the front row. “Now, before we get started, I would like to introduce a few new faces who will be joining our East High family this year. Please stand when I call your name.

Ricky gulped. Standing in front of a classroom of kids? He could do that. Conduct a band or an orchestra with his back to the audience, only turning around to bow? No sweat. Land a sick 360 toe flip at the skatepark with Big Red? Easy. But standing in a gym full of strangers that he would be working with was another story. He wanted, no  _ needed _ , these people to like him. His old coworkers had all been close, but it was also a much smaller staff. He prayed Principal Gutierrez wouldn’t ask him to come down and introduce himself to the everyone. 

“First, joining our fine and talented music program,” Ricky’s heart skipped a beat as he recognized Principal Gutierrez’s description, “Helping direct the winter and spring musicals, please give a warm Leopard welcome to Mr. Richard Bowen!” 

Ricky’s legs felt like Jello when he stood up, but he managed a small wave. He hoped his smile projected more confidence than he felt. There was a smattering of polite applause. He locked eyes with Ashlyn for a moment and she gave him a thumbs up. As soon as the applause tapered off, he sat back down.

_ Okay. Okay, not bad. Some of the smiled. You didn’t trip. First impression? Nailed it. _

“And now, joining the math department and moderating both our acclaimed academic decathlon team  _ and  _ our award-winning robotics team, please welcome Ms. Gina Porter!” 

Ricky hadn’t realized there were any other new staff members, but he instantly felt a flood of relief. He wasn’t the only one, then. A girl a few rows ahead of him stood up. She wore a black blazer, gray pants, and her hair was pulled into a high and tight bun. Her posture was rigid and she waved like a beauty queen to her new coworkers. Even Ricky found himself clapping a little more forcefully for her. She turned and looked at him, giving him a faint smile and a slight nod as she sat back down.

“And last, but certainly not least,” Principal Gutierrez said, “as many of you know, our previous theater teacher, Carlos Rodriguez, is no longer with us.” 

“He died?” somebody shouted. 

“What? Goodness, no. No! No, Carlos is very much alive and well, and he sends his best to you all from New York, where he is choreographing the off-Broadway revival of  _ Cats _ . In his absence, however, we have found ourselves in need of a new theater teacher. Due to a dearth of qualified candidates and significant budget cuts, the school board has decided to fold the position into the English department. It gives me great pleasure to announce, therefore, that our very own Ms. Nina Salazar-Roberts will be taking over the drama class. She will also be co-directing the winter and spring musicals. She’s done this not just because as a non-tenured faculty member she’s obligated to take on any additional assignments we give her, but because she’s a shining example of a team player who goes above and beyond!” 

Ricky watched as a girl in the front row stood up. She didn’t turn around, so he couldn’t get a good look at her face, but her long, dark hair cascaded down her back and she waved almost imperceptibly to her coworkers. There were a few cheers and cries of “Nini!” from the audience. 

Ricky had known that his job involved directing the school musicals, of course. But he hadn’t known until now that he would also have a co-director. He was glad, though. Nina wasn’t brand new to the staff, which meant she knew how things worked here. Maybe she could give him some pointers. 

The rest of the assembly consisted mainly of rehashing information easily found in the employee handbook Ricky had been sent along with his hiring documents. Show up by 7:45. Don’t leave until 2:45. Don’t use sick days to go on a weeklong vacation. Using school computers to access adult websites is inappropriate… Ricky checked out ten minutes in. Principal Gutierrez finally released the staff to their classrooms at 9:00.

This presented an interesting problem, as Ricky knew his classroom was A-2, but he had no idea where A-2  _ was _ , exactly. As he followed the herd of teachers proceeding out of the gym, he caught sight of Ashlyn, who elbowed her way through the crowd when she spotted him.

“You’re officially a Leopard now,” she declared, grinning. 

“A very lost Leopard,” Ricky answered, moving in the direction of the doors. “Do you know where A-2 is?” 

“Yeah. It’s actually on this floor. I have to pass it on my way up anyway. I’ll just show you,” she said, guiding Ricky out of the gym and into the hallway.

“Hey! Ash!” Someone called from behind them. They turned and stood face-to-face with a dark-haired man dressed in track pants and a t-shirt. Well, it was more face-to-chest for Ashlyn and face-to-chin for Ricky. He was  _ tall _ . And as if that wasn’t enough, he also looked like he’d stepped off of an Abercrombie bag. His green eyes were trained on Ashlyn, but after a moment he noticed Ricky standing beside her. “Oh, and new guy!” he added. 

Ashlyn rolled her eyes as she gave the man a one-armed hug, which he returned. “New guy has a name, EJ,” she said, a smirk tugging at her lips. 

“Yeah, of course. Sorry,” EJ said, sticking out his hand. “I didn’t catch your name in there.” 

“Ricky.” They shook hands and Ricky noted just how  _ firm  _ EJ’s grip was. 

“I’m EJ Caswell. You’ve probably heard of me,” he smiled.

Ricky paused for a moment, waiting for EJ to laugh or deliver a punchline, but instead he just kept smiling expectantly, though the smile was fading by the second. Ricky felt his face start to heat up from embarrassment and he wracked his brain, trying to come up with something. Had he and EJ met before? Maybe in college? He was pretty sure he would have remembered meeting a literal Greek god...

“Oh! Caswell!” He said, looking between EJ and Ashlyn. “Are you guys…?”

“Ricky,” Ashlyn jumped in, “I swear to god if you say ‘married.’”

EJ laughed, but it sounded a little forced. “Cousins,” he filled in. “Anyway. Ash,” he gave Ashlyn another hug, “It was good to see you. New Guy,” he nodded at Ricky, “good meeting you. Have fun on your little tour.” He started jogging toward the gym.

Ashlyn rolled her eyes good-naturedly as they started in the opposite direction once more. “So now you’ve met EJ,” she said. 

“What did he mean when he said I’ve probably heard of him?” Ricky asked, unable to shake the mortification. He was pretty sure he’d just offended EJ, and people that looked like EJ probably didn’t get offended very often. 

“Ignore him,” Ashlyn shook her head. “EJ thinks he’s famous ever since the  _ Salt Lake Press _ named him Coach of the Year last year. I guess a big head comes with the territory when you’ve led the basketball team to back-to-back state championships.” 

“He seemed pretty nice,” Ricky commented. “I hope I didn’t insult him.” 

Ashlyn snorted. “Listen, I love EJ. He’s great. But even I can admit that a reality check would probably do him some good.”

We stopped outside a plain set of wooden doors. A little blue placard on the doorframe said A-2. “ _ Voila _ ,” Ashlyn said. “Here we are. You’re probably gonna wanna set everything up. Last time I was there, all the chairs had been stacked up and the music stands were all racked. If you need anything, I’m right upstairs in room 103.” 

Ricky turned to her. “Thanks, Ashlyn. Like, seriously. You didn’t have to go out of your way to help me as much as you did.” 

Ashlyn shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. Two years ago, I was the new girl. I get it. Seriously, if you need anything, come find me.” 

Ricky nodded and she headed toward the stairwell. He took a deep breath, placing one trembling hand on the metal door handle and feeling it give slightly. Life had taught Ricky not to get his hopes up, especially when things seemed great. East High was massive, beautiful, and state-of-the-art. There had to be a catch somewhere. He didn’t want to get his hopes up for this classroom. Steeling himself for what lay beyond the doors, he pushed down on the handle and pulled it open. 

The lights came on automatically, detecting motion, and what they revealed made Ricky gasp aloud.  _ Ho-ly crap.  _ The music room was  _ glorious _ . The floors were tiered like risers on a stage and the walls were perforated to help with acoustics. Lockers lined one side of the room, three high and deep enough to fit trombone cases. Enormous bass drums and pit xylophones and other percussion instruments took up the entire back wall. The chairs were neatly stacked in piles six-high and the stands were lined up on the rack. A concert piano occupied the front of the room and in the far corner, there was even a small office. 

Ricky let his backpack drop to the floor as he wandered slowly into the room, still dumbfounded. He hadn’t even had a classroom of his own in the Philippines and now  _ all of this  _ was his. He tested a key on the piano, nearly jumping back when the note rang loud and clear, reverberating off the perforated walls. He let out a sigh.  _ This is it _ . This was the music room he’d dreamed of all throughout college, all throughout student teaching, all throughout his time in the Philippines. This? This was a space where he could truly prove that  _ everyone _ could be a musician.

“Knock-knock,” a sing-song voice called out. Ricky turned around, acutely aware that to anyone just walking in, he would have looked like a slack-jawed idiot staring at a bass drum. He recognized the visitor as the other new teacher Principal Gutierrez had introduced that morning. 

“Uh, hey,” he recovered. 

“Thought I’d swing by and introduce myself to the other newbie,” she said as she sauntered into the room. “I’m Gina.” 

“Ricky.”

Gina was a lot taller up close. With her bun adding a few inches, she was easily Ricky’s height. And that was without factoring in the heels she wore, which clicked across the linoleum as she crossed to where Ricky was standing. “Glad to meet you, Ricky,” she said. She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Nice room,” she commented, looking around. 

“Yeah, isn’t it?” Ricky asked. 

“A bit bare though,” Gina commented, eliciting a frown from the music teacher. 

“Well, I guess,” Ricky admitted. “But it’s my first time even seeing the room. I figure it’ll start coming together over time.” 

“Oh!” Gina placed a hand on her heart. “I didn’t mean it like that,” she said. “Believe me, my room looked the same way when I first got here.” She took in Ricky’s confused expression. “I asked Principal Gutierrez to give me access to the building a little early, so I’ve been coming and going since July. I know it’s dumb but I figured it’s better to be overprepared than under, right?” 

“Right…” Ricky said. 

“So, first year teaching?” Gina asked.

“My second, actually,” Ricky replied. 

“Oh. Well you’ve got a leg up on me then,” Gina laughed. “I just graduated, so I guess that makes me the baby of the staff. Anyway, I just wanted to stop in. It was nice to meet you, Ricky. And hey, I’m on the second floor. Room 215. Just in case you ever need anything. Newbies gotta stick together, right?” She grinned, and once again Ricky was struck by the fact that her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.

He offered Gina a smile and waved as she walked back out of the room. He wasn’t sure whether to feel insulted or not. She had a point, though, about the room feeling bare. It definitely was empty. The blue-gray walls were unadorned and the shades had been left down. 

Ricky unstacked the chairs, lining them up along the different tiers in rows, mentally dividing each section. Brass. Woodwinds. Percussion. He didn’t know how many kids he would have, much less what instruments they play, but he figured there were enough seats for everyone. Probably more. Simply setting up the chairs made the room feel much fuller, and once Ricky added the music stands he was certain Gina would agree that it felt like a classroom now. 

After lunch, he printed his class lists and counted up the number of students. Almost a hundred in total, all at varying skill levels. He tried memorizing names for a bit, but realized it was pointless if he couldn’t attach them to faces. 

* * *

At 3:00, Principal Gutierrez came on the PA and announced that teachers were free to leave. Almost immediately, there was a mass exodus in the hallway and Ricky watched as teacher after teacher streamed out of classrooms he hadn’t even noticed, heading for the door. He took one satisfied look around the room, at the orderly rows of chairs all waiting to be filled the next day. Then, grabbing his backpack, he made his way toward the stairwell, too. 

As he approached the gym, he noticed EJ standing by the door, deep in conversation with a shorter woman. They were talking quietly, laughing about something, and EJ’s hand placed on the woman’s hip didn’t escape Ricky’s notice either. Though she had her back to him, and he hadn’t gotten a good look at her during the assembly, he was pretty sure he recognized the long, dark hair as his co-director Nina’s.

“Oh, hi!” Nina said, waving politely. “You’re…”

“Ricky,” he finished.

“Oh thank god,” Nina let out a sigh of relief. Ricky quirked an eyebrow. “Sorry. It’s just that...well, you don’t look like a Richard. That’s all.”

Ricky laughed. “Let me guess. I’m about forty years too young to be a Richard?” 

“I was going to say thirty-five, but forty works,” Nina answered.

“I get that a lot,” Ricky said. He studied the young woman in front of him. She had to be his about his age, and she was strikingly pretty. Her eyes were wide and earnest as she sized him up, too. 

“I’m Nini,” she said. “Er, Nina, technically. But nobody calls me that except my moms. And even then, only when I’m in trouble. And this is…” 

“EJ,” Ricky filled in. A small smile crossed EJ’s face.

Nini turned and smacked EJ’s chest lightly. “You didn’t tell me you guys already met!” she said. 

“Oh yeah, New Guy and I met this morning,” EJ replied. “How’d your first day go?” he turned to Ricky. 

“Ah, you know. Just...setting up and stuff,” he replied. 

“I’m really excited to be co-directing  _ Beauty and the Beast  _ with you,” Nini said. “Have you ever staged a show before?” 

“Not unless you count a nativity pageant for six year olds,” Ricky said. 

“Still better than me,” Nini admitted. “I was in shows in high school, but it’s my first time in the director’s chair.” 

“Hey,” EJ said, cupping her face gently and turning her to look at him, “You are going to be  _ amazing _ , Nini,” he said.

Nini rolled her eyes but the smile on her face was unmistakably pleased. “You keep saying that. I hope I can deliver. Anyway, Ricky, it was nice to meet you. We gotta get outta here,” she indicated EJ, “but let’s talk more tomorrow, yeah? The scripts are supposed to be here by then, so we’ll actually have material to work off of.” 

“Yeah,” Ricky smiled. “It was good to meet you, too.” He nodded to EJ. 

“See you around, New Guy,” EJ said as he and Nini went into the gym. Ricky stared after them for a moment before heading up the stairwell.

* * *

It was only 3:15 when Ricky got home, and he knew Big Red would still be in the skate shop. He pulled in behind his roommate’s orange Beetle. He debated going upstairs but figured Big Red would want an update sooner rather than later, so he grabbed his backpack and went in through the shop entrance instead. 

“Dude!” Big Red greeted from behind the counter.

“Dude!” Ricky exclaimed back.

Halfpipe leapt up from his doggie bed, ran in a circle for a moment as he always did when he was excited, and then bolted to greet Ricky, leaving drool all over his pants. 

The store was empty. Unsurprising, given it was the middle of the day on a Tuesday. Ricky hopped up on the counter, feet swinging off the side, careful not to hit the glass on the display case that contained all of Big Red’s prized X-Games memorabilia. 

“I got the best news today,” Big Red told him. “Are you ready for this?” 

“Lay it on me,” Ricky grinned.

“So I open this morning, right? Nobody’s in the shop yet, just me and Halfpipe chilling. So I got a longboard out and I was just messing around when guess who walks in.” 

“Who?” 

“Tony Hawk, dude! And I was all, ‘Are you Tony Hawk?’ And he was all, ‘Yeah.’ And I was like, ‘cool.’ And that’s not even the best part. Guess why he was here?” 

Ricky stared at his best friend, wide-eyed. “Wait a minute. Tony Hawk? Like  _ the  _ Tony Hawk came into your skate shop?!” 

“Yeah! And that’s not all,” Big Red said. “He’s gonna be hosting the first ever Salt Lake City Skate Championship in November and he’s scouting local skate shops to partner with for the event to provide boards and repairs. Do you know what that could mean? We would finally be on the map!”

“Dude, that’s huge!” Ricky exclaimed. It was true that the skate shop hadn’t quite panned out the way Big Red had hoped. He cleared enough to keep the doors open and the shelves stocked, and it helped that Ricky had moved into the apartment upstairs with him to offset some of the rent costs. But Ricky knew that Big Red had been expecting more by now. It had been two years. 

Ricky remembered all the times in college when Big Red would stay up well past 3 AM, writing up his business plan for his entrepreneurship class. He had been so certain that the professor would love it, but in the end he had pulled off a C. Recently, after a long day without customers, Big Red had even suggested to Ricky that he might lease the shop space out, take his business degree, and find work at some corporate office instead. 

“When will they decide who to partner with?” Ricky asked. He didn’t want to get his hopes too high. After all, there were at least half a dozen skate shops in the Salt Lake area and this was  _ the  _ Tony Hawk. But if there was even a chance, Ricky was pulling for Big Red. 

“In a couple weeks,” Big Red said. “But anyway, that’s my day. I wanna hear about yours.” 

“It was good,” Ricky said, trying to think of how to succinctly describe the variety of characters he’d just met. “I mean, you went to East High so you know how it is.” 

“Yeah, but it’s gotta be different by now,” Big Red pointed out. Unlike Ricky, he had grown up entirely in the Salt Lake area and ultimately returned home after college. He’d offered the extra room in the apartment to Ricky, and he’d taken him up on the offer because it was better than going back to Chicago to stay with his mother and Todd, or out to Denver to live with his dad. 

“The people are nice,” Ricky said. “I found out I have a co-director for the play this year. An English teacher. Nina.” Then he corrected himself, “Nini.” 

“Wait? Did you say Nini?” Big Red asked. “As in Nini Salazar-Roberts?” 

Ricky nodded. “Yeah. Why, do you know her?” 

“We went to school together! I mean, she was in all the APs so it’s not like I  _ knew  _ her, knew her. But still. That’s wild. I had no idea she’d gone back to teach at East High.” 

“What do you know about her?” Ricky asked.

Big Red shrugged. “She was pretty quiet, but everyone liked her. She did some theater stuff, but she was never the star from what I remember. She was  _ definitely  _ one of the prettiest girls in school, though.” 

“Yeah,” Ricky agreed softly.

“Dude,” Big Red grinned, “I saw that look.” 

“What look?” 

“That little smile. You should go for it, man! You’ll be working with her a lot for the show, right? Make your move. Maybe end the relationship drought.” 

“No way,” Ricky protested, hopping off the counter. “It’s not like that. We’re coworkers. She’s my co-director. This is strictly a professional relationship. Besides, she’s already with EJ.” 

Big Red’s eyes went wide. “EJ? Like EJ Caswell?” 

“Another classmate of yours, I’m guessing?” 

“No, he was in the grade above us. But still. Nini Salazar-Roberts is dating  _ EJ Caswell _ ?”

“Apparently,” Ricky shrugged. “Unless it’s common practice to put your hands on your coworkers’ hips here. Why? Anything I should know about EJ?” 

“Only that he’s basically a god,” Big Red replied. “Seriously. Dude was a  _ legend  _ in high school Everyone wanted to be him or sleep with him, basically. Damn. EJ and Nini, huh? World’s a strange place.” 

Ricky grabbed his backpack and headed for the door, Halfpipe at his heels. “It sure is, Big Red.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In taking a look at chapter 1 in the light of day, I'm realizing just how many grammar mistakes and vestiges of early drafts were inadvertently left in the text. I've fixed the most egregious ones. Please accept my infinite apologies - I mean it when I say no beta! Anyway, here's hoping chapter 2 makes up for it. This time, we're diving a little into Nini's side of things. As always, reading and kudos are much appreciated, and comments bring a smile to my face.

EJ walked Nini out to her car after school, opening the driver’s side door for her as they approached the blue hatchback. Nini laughed and set her purse on the passenger seat, turning to EJ. “You’re such a gentleman,” she said. 

He bowed with great flourish. “Anything for you, m’lady,” he said. 

Nini rolled her eyes but was unable to fight the smile that broke across her face. “You’re lucky you’re so cute,” she said, “because you’re a  _ huge  _ dork.” 

EJ laughed and stood back up to his full height and Nini had to crane her neck a bit just to look him in his clear blue-green eyes. “Plans tonight?” he asked.

“I dunno yet,” Nini shrugged. “I think I’m gonna stay in tonight. Maybe write some lesson plans for next week…”

“Could I change your mind?” EJ asked. 

“Depends…What do you have in mind?” 

“Me and a couple of the guys were gonna go to that new brewery that opened up downtown. I was hoping you’d be my date?” 

Nini paused to consider the offer. “I guess...I mean, as long as we’re not out too late. Tomorrow’s the first real day of school and all.” 

“Of course! I already told them. We’ll be back by eleven at the latest.” 

“Eleven?” Nini fixed him with a look. 

“Fine, ten.” 

“Better,” she smiled. 

“Ten thirty?” he asked.

“Don’t push it,” Nini laughed, getting into her car and starting the engine. She noticed Ricky making his way out of the building and started to wave to him, but he didn’t see her. She watched him walk to an old yellow SUV and wrestle with the door for a moment before getting it open. 

“Shame Gutierrez is only making you co-director,” EJ commented, evidently having followed Ricky’s path along with her. 

“Oh, stop it! Ricky seems nice,” she chastised him mildly. 

“I’m just saying,” EJ said, turning back to her. “He’s new. You’re probably gonna have to spend half the rehearsals just explaining how everything works here.” 

“I’m sure he’s perfectly capable,” Nini replied. 

EJ smiled his million-watt smile and cupped her cheek gently. “I’m not saying he isn’t. I’m just saying you’re  _ way  _ more capable than he is. Anyway, see you tonight? I’ll pick you up.” 

“See you tonight,” Nini smiled, kissing EJ quickly on the lips. He shut her door for her and she slowly pulled out of the parking lot. 

* * *

It took twenty minutes for Nini to make it home. She pulled into her assigned parking space and cut the engine. Kourtney’s bright red convertible was parked in the spot beside hers, which was surprising because Kourtney was rarely home this early. 

As if summoned by her thoughts, Kourtney materialized from the unit next to Nini’s, making a beeline for the mailbox until she spotted her. 

“You’re home!” she cried out in delight, moving toward her as quickly as her  _ very  _ tall pumps allowed, arms open for a hug that Nini gladly accepted. 

“Yeah!” Nini said. “The question is, why are _you_?” 

“I’m working from home today,” Kourtney elaborated. “Let me tell you, I was  _ not  _ feeling it when my alarm went off this morning. And when you’re the boss,  _ you  _ get to decide your hours.” 

“Must be nice,” Nini answered, pulling her condo key from her purse, her tone more admiring than jealous. She was proud of Kourtney. She’d done so,  _ so  _ well for herself. Her fashion label was doing well, and she’d just opened her first brick-and-mortar boutique downtown. 

Nini unlocked her condo and pushed the door open, a rush of cool, conditioned air bursting forth into the September heat. Kourtney followed her inside. It was an unspoken agreement when Nini first moved in next-door. They each had a key to each other’s unit, and they were always welcome. No questions or invites necessary. 

“Your plant’s dying,” Kourtney pointed to the slowly yellowing houseplant sitting atop the disused and dusty keyboard. 

Nini sighed and went to the kitchen while her best friend flopped down on the couch, adjusting the fluffy throw pillows to support her back better. 

“How was your day?” Kourtney asked as Nini returned from the kitchen, a cup of water in hand. She emptied it into the plant pot. 

“It was good,” she answered, prodding at the soil with her finger despite having no idea how to tell if it was too dry or not. “I mean, the kids don’t come till tomorrow so it’s not like we did much. My classroom’s basically already set. I was just prepping for the drama class. And the show.” 

“Ooh, that’s right,” Kourtney squealed. “Nini Salazar-Roberts makes her directorial debut. Today, the stage of East High. Tomorrow,  _ Broadway _ .” 

Nini laughed, sitting down cross-legged across from her best friend. “Easy there, Kourt. Don’t get ahead of yourself. We  _ all  _ know the East High stage was the height of my dramatic career.” 

“Oh yeah, who could forget your riveting performance as Lovely Lady Number Four in Les Mis freshman year?” Kourtney said teasingly. 

“Ooh, not my best role,” Nini winced. “That corset was just a  _ little  _ too tight.”

“Girl, I was worried you were gonna have a wardrobe malfunction in front of the entire school.” 

Nini laughed, cringing inwardly as she remembered how mortified she’d been when her grandmother commented on the costume after seeing her perform on opening night. She hadn’t had the heart to explain what a "lovely lady" actually was.

“Or how about when you played the back half of a cow?” Kourtney asked. 

“Who could forget that one? I peaked with that performance.”

“You got that right,” Kourtney shook her head. “Can’t possibly beat playing a bovine’s backside. May as well give up.” 

“Alright, alright. So maybe there’s a  _ little  _ room for improvement. But still. I don’t see Broadway anywhere in my future. Besides, it’s not exactly a directorial debut. More like a  _ co _ -directorial debut.”

“Oh hell no,” Kourtney said. “I know they’re not about to make you co-direct this show.” 

“Why not?” Nini asked.

“Co- _ anything  _ is just asking for trouble,” she replied. “Remember group projects? When’s the last time you ever did one of those where everyone did their fair share?” 

Nini hesitated. “Okay, maybe you’re right. But I think you’d like my co-director. He’s new this year but he seems really sweet. His name’s Ricky.” 

Kourtney shook her head. “ _And_ he’s new? Better find a good chiropractor now ‘cause you’re back’s gonna be sore from carrying this production.” 

“Oh, stop it,” Nini smacked her leg lightly. “You sound like EJ. Ricky seems really nice. And he’s the music teacher, which means he can teach all the song numbers. Which means I don’t have to. That’s a good thing.” 

“Nini, what are you talking about?” Kourtney asked. “You’re an  _ amazing  _ singer.” 

“Please. I’m average at best.” 

Kourtney scoffed. “If you’re average than I must sound like a dying walrus, because let me tell you. Every note I’ve ever heard leave your mouth has been studio quality.”

Nini shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Ricky’s the expert on teaching music. Besides, I like blocking and dialogue much better anyway.” 

“Whatever you say,” Kourtney shrugged. “All I know is, if he’s not pulling his weight, you better say something.” 

“It’ll be fine,” Nini insisted.

“I’m serious. Don’t let yourself get walked all over.” 

“I won’t!” 

“So, you got plans tonight?” Kourtney changed the subject. 

“EJ and I are going out with some of his friends to check out a brewery that just opened.” 

“But Nini, you hate beer.” 

“So?” she shrugged. “I’ll just order a vodka seltzer or something.” 

Kourtney shook her head. “A vodka seltzer? Really? And with all his friends? Is anyone else even bringing a date?”

“Who cares? It’ll be nice to spend time with EJ. And his friends. Doesn’t really matter where.” 

“I’m just saying, I don’t remember the last time EJ was dying to go out with us for tacos and margs.” 

“That’s different,” Nini replied. 

“If you say so. Anyway, I should probably go back to my place. I’m waiting on a call from California. Trying to find somewhere to produce my new line. Have fun getting your brew on.” 

* * *

Nini spent nearly an hour pulling together an outfit, texting Kourtney pictures for approval. 

“Definitely not,” came the response after she sent her a picture of a turquoise sweater and black skirt. “You look like you’re going to an accounting convention.” 

“Girl, it’s a brewery. Not dinner with the pope. I know you own jeans,” Kourtney replied after a picture of a black, collared dress that Nini had found at a thrift store. 

Nini sent her a picture of a pink blouse and a pair of white jeans. “Perfect,” Kourtney answered, along with a thumbs up emoji. 

* * *

EJ texted to say he was outside while Nini was finishing up her makeup. 

“Be right out,” she replied, cursing herself when her hand shook while drawing on her eyeliner. 

Five minutes later, she was out the door and hoisting herself into the passenger seat of EJ’s Jeep. 

“You okay?” EJ asked as he put the car into gear and pulled away from the curb. “Took you awhile.” 

“Sorry,” Nini apologized. “I didn’t mean to take that long. I was putting my makeup on.” 

“You didn’t have to,” EJ said, stealing a quick glance at her. “You always look amazing.” 

Nini blushed. “Stop it.” 

He placed his hand gently on her thigh without taking his eyes off the road. “Don’t act like you don’t know it’s true.” 

* * *

They parked a block away from the brewery. EJ helped Nini out of the Jeep and took her hand in his. 

“Who’s coming tonight?” Nini asked as they walked. 

“Just some of the guys. You know. Matt, Josh, Mark…” 

Nini vaguely recognized the names as former teammates of EJ’s. To tell the truth, they all sort of looked the same to her and they tended to blend into a single entity in her mind. “Is anyone else bringing a date?” she asked.

EJ stifled a laugh. “Those guys? Can you picture any of them bringing a date with them?” 

She resisted the urge to tell him that she couldn’t really picture any of them at all. Instead, she forced a laugh. “No, I guess not.” 

“Besides, even if they did, I wouldn’t get too attached. It would probably be a different girl every time. You don’t mind, do you? Being the only girl?” 

Nini tried to look nonchalant. “What? No! Not at all.” 

“Good,” EJ’s face softened into a smile. “That’s one of the things I love about you, Nini. You always want to be a part of my life.” He held the door open for her as they went inside. 

* * *

“...so yeah. We didn’t talk after that. Just deleted her number and came home the day after.” 

Nini tried hard not to roll her eyes as one of EJ’s friends - was this one Matt? Maybe Mark? - retold the story of some girl he’d hooked up with on vacation in Miami. 

“Dude, you’re a dog,” EJ laughed, then caught Nini’s look of disapproval and cleared his throat. “But seriously, man. Don’t you think one night stands are...I dunno, like college stuff?” 

His friend shrugged. “Easy for you to say. You’ve got an awesome girlfriend.” 

“That’s right,” EJ smiled, reaching one arm around Nini and pulling her against him. 

“You’ve been real quiet, Nini,” another friend, easily the most tolerable (she was pretty sure this one was Josh) said. “What’ve you been up to?” 

Nini shrugged and took a sip of her seltzer. EJ had offered her a sip of his beer and she’d barely been able to stomach it. “Not much,” she offered. “Just getting ready for another school year with this guy,” she turned and smiled at EJ, who squeezed her a little closer. 

“She’s being modest,” he told his friends. “It's not just another year. Because this year, Nini’s directing the winter and spring shows.” 

“ _ Co _ -directing,” she added quickly.

“It’s still directing,” EJ shrugged. “Besides, we all know you’re gonna be the better director. Seriously, babe. You’re brilliant.” 

Nini blushed. Or maybe it was just the vodka finally hitting her veins and causing her face to heat up. She’d certainly inherited  _ that _ from Mama D. She wished EJ would stop talking, stop hyping her up to his friends. She almost wished they would go back to talking about hookups or anything else. 

It wasn’t the fact that EJ thought so highly of her that bothered her. Okay, well maybe it was a little of that, too. But what bothered her the most was that he didn’t  _ know _ . He couldn’t know for sure. She’d never directed anything before. How could he claim she would be a better director than Ricky? How could he even claim she’d be a good director at all? 

“...going for state championship number three,” EJ was saying. “Wouldn’t that be great, babe?” he turned to her. “You directing the best musical the school’s ever seen and me taking the team to states again? Talk about power couple, right?” 

“Yeah!” She could barely force the laugh that came. “I-I’m gonna go to the bathroom. Be right back.” 

She wriggled out of the booth and strode quickly toward the restrooms. She just needed a minute. A quick break. It was sweet, how proud EJ was of her. How eager he was to show her off to his friends. But she really, really wished he would tone it down a little bit. 

Her phone buzzed. A text from Kourtney. She opened it. 

“How’s the brewery?” 

Nini thought for a moment, then replied. “Great! We’re having a blast!” Pink heart emoji. She paused in the mirror to adjust her hair, took a deep breath, and then went back out to rejoin EJ and his friends at the table. 


	3. Chapter 3

By the time third period rolled around, Ricky had become an expert at navigating from his classroom to the main office. He’d stopped there first thing in the morning to check his mailbox, which was stuffed with memos and attendance lists and things to distribute to students. Then he’d been called up after first period to pick up his faculty ID. He hadn’t realized there was a loose curl dangling precariously close to his left eye until he saw the ID photo, and he immediately turned it so that the back was facing out. Finally, at the end of third period, he’d been called up yet again. This time, though, it was because the  _ Beauty and the Beast  _ scripts had finally arrived. He didn’t mind running up the stairs for this. He even took them two at a time. 

He was greeted with two massive cardboard boxes, stacked one on top of the other atop the counter in the main office. 

“Need you to sign for me,” the Fed Ex guy said, handing him the tablet to sign his name. 

Off to Ricky’s right, he heard Principal Gutierrez’s voice grow slightly louder. The door to his office was ajar and though he tried not to eavesdrop, it was somewhat unavoidable. 

“...both did well last year at competition. Unfortunately, enrollment was the lowest it had ever been. Especially for robotics. The district had to cut funding for clubs again. I’m afraid that if you can’t get enrollment up, we’re going to have to cancel your programs to fund more popular extracurriculars.” 

Ricky frowned as he handed the tablet back to the delivery driver, listening to hear if whoever Principal Gutierrez was meeting with would respond. If they did, they spoke too softly for him to detect. He reached for the first box, pulling it closer to him. It was surprisingly heavy. 

“Keep me posted,” Principal Gutierrez’s voice got louder as he approached the door, then pulled it open fully. Gina stepped out of the office, smoothing out the hem of her houndstooth blazer.

“I will,” she said a bit stiffly. “Thank you.” She started for the door as Principal Gutierrez shut his office. 

“Hey,” Ricky said softly as she walked past. She stopped and turned to him. 

“Oh. Hi,” she said. 

“I, uh, didn’t mean to overhear or anything. But...I mean, I kinda heard what Principal Gutierrez said to you in there.” 

Gina sighed and shook her head. “It’s nothing.” 

“Are you sure? ‘Cause it sounded kinda serious,” Ricky answered, smiling sympathetically. “Anything I can do?” 

Gina scoffed. “Not unless you can manufacture a bunch of students with an intense interest in STEM. Seriously, Ricky, don’t worry about it. It’s only a problem if I can’t get enrollment up.” 

“How are you going to do that?” Ricky asked.

“I’ll think of something,” Gina replied, and she strolled out of the office. Ricky could hear the  _ click, click, click  _ of her heels receding down the hall. 

Ricky stacked the two boxes full of scripts precariously and then lifted them both up. He felt the first box teeter, slightly off-balance. 

“Need some help?” someone asked, and he had to peer around the boxes in order to see who it was. Ashlyn stood before him, smiling a little. 

“No,” Ricky grunted, trying to shift the boxes into a more stable position. “I got it.” 

Ashlyn rolled her eyes. “Here,” she said, grabbing the one on top. 

“It’s not too heavy?” Ricky asked, relieved to have half the weight taken out of his arms. 

“I’m a lot stronger than I look,” Ashlyn answered. “So where are these going?” 

“My room,” Ricky said, opening the door with his shoulder and holding it open for the redhead. “I can’t wait to show Nini.” 

“I take it you two have met, then?” 

“Yeah. Briefly, anyway. But she said we should get together and talk once the scripts came.” They carried the boxes to the music room and deposited them by the door. “I can take it from here,” Ricky said, kicking the first box into the room, then the second. He took out his key and cut the tape on the first box. 

The scent of freshly-bound books reached his nose as he reverently lifted out the director’s copy. His eyes practically gleamed as he held it up.

Ashlyn folded her arms, unable to stop the grin that broke out on her face .”You look like you just found the Ark of the Covenant,” she told him, then noted the confusion on his face. “Seriously?  _ Raiders of the Lost Ark _ ?” 

He shrugged and Ashlyn sighed. 

“I’m gonna take this to Nini,” Ricky declared, tucking the script under his arm and starting for the door but pausing as he reached it. It occurred to him that he didn’t actually know where Nini’s room was. He turned and grinned sheepishly. “You wouldn’t happen to know where I could find her, would you?” 

“Thought you’d never ask!” the history teacher replied. “C’mon. She’s in room 116. Just down the hall from me.” 

* * *

“Hey, babe!” 

Nini looked up as EJ entered her classroom. “Hey,” she smiled, standing up from her desk and accepting the tight hug he wrapped her up in. “How’s your first day going so far?” 

“Oh, you know. Half my students are barely awake and the other half are wishing it was still summer. But we’re getting through it. How’s yours?” 

“Fantastic,” EJ said. “I mean, it’s gym so they’re mostly just glad not to be sitting in a desk for forty-five minutes. No offense.” 

Nini shrugged.

“Anyway, I felt bad about keeping you out past midnight last night so I brought you something.” He handed her a brown paper bag. 

“Babe, you shouldn’t have,” Nini said, taking it from him. 

“Nah, it was nothing,” EJ shrugged. “It’s from Benny’s. Your favorite.” 

“Kale and apple salad?” her eyes lit up.

“With extra almonds. And an iced soy latte. Figured you could use the caffeine.” 

“You know me too well,” she said, planting a kiss on his lips. 

“So, listen. I was thinking. Maybe we could go out tonight? Just you and me? Celebrate another first day of school?” 

“I would love that,” Nini replied.

“And...I was wondering if you’d...maybe want to spend the night?” He averted his gaze, blue-green eyes scrutinizing the patterns in the linoleum floor. Nini giggled. It was adorable how shy he became when asking her to stay over as if they hadn’t been dating for nearly a year. 

She tipped his head up so that he was forced to look her in the eye. “I would love to spend the night, EJ,” she said, and his face softened into the boyish grin that she loved so much. 

“Great,” he exulted. “It’s a date.” 

“Hey, Nini... whoa! S-sorry.” 

Both EJ and Nini looked up to see Ricky standing in the doorway and turning redder by the moment, using the script to shield his eyes. 

“I, uh, didn’t mean to interrupt...you...guys,” he said. “I-I can come back if now’s a bad time.” 

Nini could feel her own face heating up but EJ just chuckled. “No worries, New Guy. I was actually just about to leave. Nini, see you tonight?” 

“Mmm-hmm,” Nini squeaked, hoping that she wasn’t blushing too obviously. 

EJ kissed her cheek deliberately, then headed for the door. Ricky pressing himself against the doorframe to allow him to leave. 

When they were alone, Nini cleared her throat. “Uh, sorry about that,” she said. 

“N-no, totally my fault,” Ricky replied. “The scripts came. I was just coming to show you.” 

“Great!” she brightened. “You can come in if you want.” 

Ricky hadn’t realized he was still flattened against the doorframe until that moment. He stepped into the room and looked around, eyes wide in awe as he took in Nini’s classroom. 

“Wow,” he said softly.

“What?” Nini asked, following his gaze self-consciously. 

“Your room! It’s just...wow,” Ricky repeated. 

The classroom was warm and bright and cozy and  _ soft _ . The desks were arranged in groups of four and set up around the room, while the middle was occupied by a large, fluffy pink rug and an assortment of pastel-colored bean bag chairs. Two large bookcases occupied the back wall, filled with everything from dog-eared paperbacks to hardcovers that looked brand new. The walls were the same dull shade of blue-gray as his own room, but the variety of posters - Shakespeare quotes, literary terms, pictures of Emily Dickinson and Mary Shelley and Jane Austen - disguised the drabness. A plug-in air freshener gently filled the room with a sweet scent that he couldn’t quite identify. Vanilla, perhaps? Or maybe fresh-baked cookies. 

“I can’t take credit,” Nini said modestly. “Most of this came from Pinterest.” 

“Still,” Ricky said. “I wish my room looked even a quarter as nice as this.” 

“Oh, it will!” Nini placed an encouraging hand on his shoulder. “It’s only your first day. It took me weeks to set this all up. Not to mention the money. I mean, I probably wouldn’t have been able to afford half this stuff if EJ hadn’t chipped in.” 

He cringed inwardly at the mention of EJ’s name, reminded of how he had just walked in on what was clearly a private moment for the two of them. “Well, here’s the script,” he handed the copy to her. “There’s two boxes full in my room.” 

“Amazing!” she exclaimed. “I’ve been talking up the musical all day to my students. I even offered them extra credit if they auditioned. I think we’ll have a pretty good turnout!” 

Ricky grinned. “Anyone promising?” 

“Actually, yeah! I had the students in my drama class write monologues to introduce themselves and Abby sang hers. She was  _ incredible _ . Definitely Belle material if you ask me. And that was just one student. There’s no shortage of talent here. You’ll see.” 

“I can’t wait,” he replied, then glanced at the clock. “Hey, uh, maybe we could meet up after school? Just to discuss the auditions and stuff. Get ourselves organized.” 

“You read my mind,” Nini laughed. 

“Great!”

“Great.” 

“I’ll...see you after school?” Ricky started toward the door. 

“Yes you will,” Nini promised. 

As soon as Ricky made it back to his classroom, he fired up the computer and created a Pinterest account. 

* * *

The bell rang at 2:30, signalling the end of the school day. 

“Have a good day!” Nini called after her students as they jumped up from their seats and made a beeline for the door. She sighed good-naturedly as she began straightening the desks. 

The PA system beeped as it came online. “Students, don’t forget! The interest meetings for the academic decathlon team and the robotics team will be today in the cafeteria at 2:45. All are welcome to attend!” 

Nini finished straightening up her room, grabbed her purse and the director’s copy Ricky had given her, and made her way downstairs, dodging students as they made a mad dash for the exit.

Ricky was walking a boy out of the music room as she approached. He handed the kid an instrument case. 

“Just try and get a sound out of it tonight, okay? We can work on the rest.” 

“Do you think I’ll be able to catch up, Mr. Bowen? Everyone else already knows how to play.” 

Ricky smiled. “There’s no such thing as catching up. We all pick it up at our own pace. Just give it a try for now.” 

The boy smiled and nodded as he walked off toward the nearest stairwell. 

“Hey,” Ricky said, turning his attention to Nini. 

“Hey,” she returned, watching as the student disappeared up the flight of stairs. 

“He’s trying the clarinet for the first time,” Ricky explained. “He can sort of get it to make a noise, so that’s progress.” He led Nini into the music room. 

“Looks like the place is coming together,” she commented. The music stands were set up and the chairs neatly lined in rows. 

“I mean it’s not much right now,” Ricky answered. “I keep hearing about this one room that looks amazing.”

“Oh really?” Nini asked earnestly. “Whose?” 

“Some English teacher?” Ricky replied, an impish grin spreading across his features. “I think her name is Salazar-Roberts or something?” 

She let out a laugh and swatted his arm gently with the script. “Stop it,” she said. 

“Okay, so we should probably pick the audition music first, right?” Ricky asked as they sat down in two of the chairs, scripts in hand. 

“Definitely,” Nini replied. “I’ve always been partial to the song Belle sings in the opening scene.”

“Yeah, ‘Belle.’ That’s a good one. I thought it might be better to use ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ though,” Ricky said, flipping through his copy of the sheet music. “Since it’s a duet and all? This way guys and girls could audition with the same song.” 

He didn’t catch Nini’s face fall momentarily. 

“Yeah. Yeah, that makes perfect sense,” she said. “Let’s go with that.” 

Ricky picked up a pencil and began making a note on the page containing the song, brow furrowed in concentration. 

“So, I did some digging backstage,” Nini said to fill the silence. “And I found a bunch of old props and set pieces from when we did  _ Cinderella  _ a few years ago. With a little retouching, I think most of them would work for  _ Beauty and the Beast _ , too.” 

“That’s great!” Ricky said, looking up from the page. He hadn’t even seen the budget yet, but if past experience served, it wouldn’t be nearly as much as they’d like. Especially if the school board had cut funding as drastically as Principal Gutierrez had implied earlier. 

“Costumes, too,” Nini continued. “Which would leave us room in the budget to buy a beautiful gown for Belle to wear in the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ number because that scene and that dress is  _ iconic _ .” 

“I’ve been thinking, though,” Nini said. “How do you wanna break up the directing responsibilities? I’ve never directed anything, much less co-directed before.” 

“Me neither,” Ricky chuckled. “Why don’t we play to our strengths? I’ve got you covered on anything music related.”

“And I’ll happily take on anything related to dialogue and acting,” Nini replied.

“The only thing I can’t do,” Ricky started, “is…” 

“Choreography,” they both said in unison.

Ricky’s eyes went wide for a moment, and they both laughed. “Well that might be a bit of a problem,” he said. 

“Maybe not,” Nini answered. “With the money we save from recycling sets, props, and costumes, we can hire someone.” 

“That would be awesome. Trust me, you do  _ not  _ want to see me dance. I’ve got two left feet.” 

Nini giggled. “Can’t be as bad as the mothers-daughter dance during my sweet sixteen. I stepped on  _ both  _ my moms’ toes.  _ Twice _ .” 

“I’ll do you one better. One time, in college, I was at a party and I was trying to impress a couple of girls so I thought I'd show them some moves. But I ended up knocking into them and they spilled their drinks.” 

“Okay, you win,” Nini laughed. 

Ricky chuckled too, but when the laughter trailed off the room was filled with awkward silence. 

“So, uh, how was your first day?” Nini asked, changing the subject.

“Good!” Ricky answered, a little too quickly. “It was...good.” 

It occurred to Nini that she actually knew nothing about her co-director besides his name and that apparently he couldn’t dance. “Is this your first job?” 

“Second,” he said. 

“Oh! Where’d you teach before?” 

“I’ve never taught in the States, actually. I went to Southeast Asia for a year to teach music in an elementary school.” 

“Where in Southeast Asia?” Nini asked, sitting up a bit straighter. 

“The Philippines,” Ricky replied. “Manila.” 

“No way!” the English teacher said. “I’m so jealous! My mom - well, one of my moms - is Filipino. I’ve never been, though.” 

“It’s a beautiful country,” Ricky said. “You should go if you ever get the chance.” 

“Maybe I will,” Nini smiled. 

“What about you?” Ricky asked. “What’s your story?” 

“Salt Lake City born and raised,” Nini told him. “And I’m a graduate of East High so it was kind of like coming home when I got hired here.” 

“Any tips for a newbie like me? You’ve survived this place twice after all.” 

“And I keep coming back for some reason,” Nini chuckled. 

Nini wasn’t sure how long she and Ricky spent in the music room talking, but by the end of their conversation she’d learned that he had gone to Utah State, that he’d lived with his mother in Chicago after his parents divorced, that his dad lived in Denver, and that he had moved in with his college roommate after coming back from the Philippines. 

She also discovered, upon taking her phone out of her purse, that she’d missed two calls and more text messages than she could count. She felt her heart skip a beat as she tapped into her messages and saw they were all from EJ. 

_ Hey, is 6 good?  _

_ I can come pick you up if you don’t wanna drive to my place. _

_ Do you want Thai or Indian?  _

_ Italian? _

_ Ok Spanish. Final offer. _

_ Nini? _

_ Babe, where are you? _

_ Are you ok? _

She looked at the time. 6:40. And she still hadn’t gone home, gotten ready, or packed a bag. “Hey, uh, Ricky?” she said, interrupting him as he was reading off a few options for monologues for students to audition with.

“Yeah?”

“I’m really sorry, but I have to go.” 

“Sure,” Ricky said, closing the script. He furrowed his brow. “Is everything alright?” 

“Yeah, everything’s fine. I just remembered I had plans with EJ tonight. I think we’re in good shape for auditions, though. Right?” 

“Yeah, totally,” Ricky said. “I’ll make some copies of the monologues and the sheet music.” 

“Are you sure? I don’t wanna make you do it all yourself. I can…”

“No worries. Don't wanna keep EJ waiting.” 

“Thanks for understanding,” Nini stood up and picked up her purse. “And hey, Ricky? It was nice getting to know you. I’m glad we’re co-directors.” 

Ricky’s face softened. “Yeah. Me too.” 

“See you tomorrow!” Nini called over her shoulder as she exited. 

Outside in the parking lot, she made her way toward her car as she quickly began tapping out a text to EJ. The lot was empty save for Ricky’s yellow SUV, her car, and one other parked right next to hers that she didn’t recognize. As she finished the text, she saw the new math teacher approaching the car beside hers. 

“Oh, hi,” Nini smiled pleasantly as she opened her driver’s side door. 

“Hey,” the other teacher replied monotonously. 

“Gina, right?” 

“Yeah.” 

“I’m Nini. I teach English. I heard the announcements this afternoon. How’d the interest meetings go?”

“Fine,” Gina answered tersely as she opened her own door and got into her car. “Have a good night.” 

Nini stared after the black sedan and wondered if she’d inadvertently offended her new coworker.

* * *

It was dark by the time Nini got home, showered, changed, and drove to EJ’s. She parked in the driveway, right behind his gray Jeep. The porch light was on and she could see the living room window lit up, too. He hadn’t responded to her text and now, at his house, she felt her pulse quicken. Was he mad at her? He had every right to be, since she’d lost track of time. But how mad? Should she have called to make sure he even wanted her to come over anymore? 

She got out of the car, opened the hatch, took out her overnight bag, and started up the walkway. She stood on the porch, EJ’s house key in her hand, then decided to ring the doorbell. Just in case he didn’t want to see her after all. 

A moment later, EJ opened the door dressed in a pair of gray sweatpants and a blue pullover. “Hi,” he said, and she could tell he was trying not to sound testy. 

“Hey,” she replied placatingly. EJ stood aside and she entered, kicking off her shoes. 

The flatscreen TV over the fireplace was tuned to baseball. 

“Listen, I’m really sorry,” Nini began, perching on the arm of the beige leather couch. EJ flopped down beside her. “Ricky and I were planning for the auditions and we just...I lost track of time.” 

“Nini,” EJ said, pausing for a moment to force the exasperation out of his tone. She hated when he talked to her like this. Like he was reprimanding a child. It made her feel so small. She realized, though, that she probably deserved it. 

“Look, I’m not mad at you, okay?” EJ finally said. “I’m just a little upset. I get that the play is a good thing for you,” he rubbed her arm gently. “For  _ us _ . And I’m all for you doing what you gotta do to make it awesome. But you didn’t even call or text or anything. I was sitting around for hours wondering if something happened to you! I was about to call Kourtney if you didn’t respond.” 

“My phone was in my bag,” Nini defended, but she stopped when she realized she didn’t have a leg to stand on. “I’m sorry, EJ,” she said softly. “God, you probably hate me.” 

EJ reached over and pulled her into his lap. “I don’t hate you,” he said, his blue-green eyes fixed directly on her. There was something urgent in his tone. Like he needed her to hear this. “I could never hate you, Nini. I love you. God, I love you. I just… A little more communication would be nice, next time. Okay? We’re a team. We gotta communicate.” 

Nini nodded. “Yeah! Absolutely.” It was a fair request, and she was relieved that he wasn’t as angry as she thought he’d be. 

“Well it’s a little late to go out to dinner now,” EJ began. “Would you settle for pizza?” 

“Mushrooms and peppers?” she asked. 

“Only if we can get extra cheese, too.” 

“Deal.” 

The pizza was delivered a half hour later. Nini leaned her head against EJ’s shoulder, trying hard to follow the baseball game though she knew nothing about the rules of baseball. They finished off the pizza and half a bottle of wine, and then EJ stretched and got up.

“Time for bed?” he asked. “It’s been a long day.” 

Nini nodded and he reached his hand out to help her off the couch. She changed into her pajamas while EJ brushed his teeth, and then they traded places in the bathroom. When she emerged, EJ was already lying in bed. She turned out the light, lifted the sheet, and climbed in beside him. 

“Good night, babe,” he yawned, draping one arm around her and pulling her close. 

“Good night,” she murmured.

Nini had spent plenty of nights at EJ’s, and after the first time she never had trouble sleeping there. There was comfort in this room, in the exposed wood beams on the ceiling and EJ’s slightly-too-firm mattress and the way the moonlight filtered through the curtains the way it never did in her condo. There was comfort in EJ’s deep, even breathing, the heat that radiated off of him, his strong arm encircling her waist and holding her tight against him like a treasure. 

But for some reason, Nini found herself unable to fall asleep. She shifted slightly, trying not to wake EJ. She closed her eyes and listened to the soothing sound of his breathing, felt the gentle rise and fall of his bare chest against her back. She adjusted her head so that the pillow sat in the crook of her neck. The clock on the bedside table said 1:48. She was still wide awake.


	4. Chapter 4

Ricky had just sat down in his office and taken out his turkey sandwich (he made a mental note to pick up cheese on the way home since Big Red refused to even approach the dairy aisle at Harmons) when Gina poked her head in. 

“Hey,” she said hesitantly. 

Ricky put his sandwich down. “Hey,” he answered. “What’s up?” 

“Would you...mind if I ate in here?” she asked. “Faculty lounge is  _ kind of  _ a snake pit.”

“Really?” 

“Yeah. It’s just a bunch of old biddies that sit around and gossip about everyone. Not exactly my scene.” 

Ricky gestured to the empty seat across from his desk. “Well, this can be your scene then.” 

“Thanks,” Gina smiled appreciatively as she lowered herself into the chair and pulled out a black-and-white polka-dotted lunch bag. 

It had only been a few days, and Ricky was well aware of the fact that he hadn’t figured anyone at East High out yet. But of all his coworkers, Gina was by far the most enigmatic. Ashlyn was maternal, concerned for others, the type to go out of her way for the people around her. Nini was every bit as sweet as she seemed when he met her on day one. Even EJ was fairly straightforward, if a bit of a dick sometimes. But Gina? Ricky could make neither heads nor tails of her. She was friendly and outgoing on the first day, but a bit standoffish the second. And now here she was, eating lunch in his office as if they’d been best friends forever. 

Ricky watched as Gina opened her lunch bag and pulled out a container with multiple other containers nested inside. One by one, she emptied the contents of each container into the bed of lettuce on the bottom - first grilled chicken, then sliced strawberries, then some almonds, then feta cheese, and finally dressing. She shook the salad up and began to spear pieces of it with her fork. 

“Sorry if I kinda interrupted your solitude. I know lunch is really the only peace anybody gets during the day,” she said after swallowing a mouthful and dabbing at her lips with a napkin.

“Don’t worry about it,” Ricky said. In truth, he was relieved to have the company. He’d been trying to work up the nerve to go upstairs and see if Ashlyn or maybe Nini had lunch at the same time. Heck, he would’ve settled for eating with EJ, too, if it meant not eating alone.” 

He became acutely aware of the fact that the silence had gone on too long. The only noise in the room was the crunching of lettuce. He had finished his sandwich, which meant a full mouth was no longer an excuse not to make conversation. Ricky cleared his throat. “So, uh, how’s it been so far? Your classes, I mean?” 

“Oh, you know,” Gina said. “It’s math. I’m lucky most of them show up at all. I’m kind of hoping that if I do a good job this year, Principal Gutierrez will give me the honors classes next year.”

Ricky nodded, wondering if he was doing something wrong. It was only the first week of their first year. Should he be considering next year so soon? 

“You, uh, from the area?” Ricky asked when the silence had stretched on for too long again. 

Gina snorted. “Not at all,” she said. “I’m not from any area, really.”

“What do you mean?” 

“Well, my mom worked for FEMA growing up, so we moved around a lot. Basically whenever and wherever disaster struck.” 

Ricky took a moment to process this. “It must’ve been cool, though, right?” he offered. “Getting to see all those places?”

“Oh sure, at first,” Gina answered. “I mean, who wouldn’t want to go to New Orleans, Puerto Rico, Arizona, and California all in two years? But after a while…” 

“Gets kinda old?” 

“Let’s just say, I’ve been the new girl more than a few times in my life,” Gina confirmed.

“I get it,” Ricky replied. “After my parents split up, I lived with my mom in Chicago during the school year and with my dad in Denver during the summer. It was awesome at first, but then I realized I didn’t really know which one to call home. Probably neither.” 

Gina nodded, her fork long since abandoned in the container. “Salt Lake is my first home,” she told him. “The first time  _ I  _ decided where to live.”

“Why here?” he asked. 

She shrugged. “Because it was somewhere I hadn’t lived already? I’ve lived in eleven states, two US territories, and three different countries, but somehow I never made it out to Utah. And I was tired of going to a different state at the end of every semester in college. So I signed a lease right after graduation and here I am.” 

“Teaching math to kids who’d rather be anywhere else? Not that I blame them, I  _ sucked _ at math,” Ricky teased. 

Gina laughed. “Yeah, you and like ninety percent of the population. But it’s not  _ just  _ that. It’s way more than that.”

“Like?” 

“I get my own classroom. I get to do my own thing. I’m in charge of two clubs,” she offered. 

“Yeah, how’s that going by the way? I heard you had an interest meeting the other day?” 

Gina’s face fell. “Could be better,” she said. “I mean, the overall turnout was alright but everyone seems to want to do either academic decathlon or robotics. Not both, so when you actually look at the enrollment it’s...less than ideal.” 

“Maybe you bit off more than you can chew?” Ricky suggested, wadding up the paper bag from his lunch and throwing it in the garbage. 

“What’s that mean?” Gina questioned and he noted the defensive look on her face.

He felt bad immediately. “I didn’t mean it like that!” he said quickly, but the math teacher looked unconvinced. “It’s awesome that you’re being ambitious. I was just saying...maybe enrollment would be better if you dedicated all of your time to one and not both?” 

“I can do it!” Gina said. “I know I can. I just need to think of a way to get more people interested.”

“Well if I can help, let me know,” Ricky offered. He wasn’t sure what kind of sway he held with students since it was only the first week, but he figured it was the least he could do. 

“Thanks, but I think you’ve got more to worry about with your musical. How are the numbers looking for auditions?” 

“Pretty good, actually,” Ricky enthused. “We posted a sign-up sheet outside the auditorium and by third period we had to add a second page.” 

Gina seemed surprised. “Oh. I see. Well that’s...really great for you guys,” she said, glancing at the gold watch on her wrist. “I...actually think I should head back to my room. Next class starts in a few.” 

Ricky glanced at the clock on the wall above the door. Five minutes left. Gina gathered up her things. “Thanks for letting me eat lunch in here.” 

“Anytime,” he walked her to the door. “I wouldn’t want to throw you to the snake pit.” 

He watched Gina make her way up the hall toward the stairs and had the distinct feeling that, as much as she’d revealed about herself, he still had no idea who she was.

* * *

Ricky caught up with Nini backstage just after the last bell rang for the day. The students who had signed up to audition were already gathering outside the auditorium, buzzing with excitement and waiting for permission to enter. 

“You ready?” he asked.

Nini grinned. “Get ready to be  _ blown away _ . I heard some of kids rehearsing the song in the cafeteria during lunch and they sound  _ incredible _ .”

Ricky smiled and opened his mouth to respond, but found himself being brushed aside by EJ as he sauntered backstage. He scowled as the PE teacher made a beeline for Nini.

“Brought a little treat for my favorite director,” EJ announced, striding up to her.

Ricky wanted to tell EJ that the backstage area was for cast and crew  _ only _ , of which he was neither, but Nini’s eyes lit up and he no longer had the heart. 

She opened the bag EJ handed her. “A doughnut? But babe, I’ve been trying to be good…” 

“If ever there was a cheat day, today would be it,” EJ insisted. “It’s the start of something new for you. You’re gonna be stressed as hell.” 

Nini pulled out the doughnut and bit into it. “Jelly,” she exulted. EJ chuckled and used the pad of his thumb to wipe powdered sugar from the corner of her mouth. 

“I know you’re not supposed to say ‘good luck’ in the theater, so break a leg out there,” EJ said. 

“Babe, it’s just auditions. Ricky and I aren’t really doing anything today. You know that, right?” 

“Pssh, of course I know that,” EJ answered. “But still. Little extra luck couldn’t hurt, right?” 

“I guess not.” 

“Two minutes,” Ricky chimed in, watching the clock and feeling more than just a little eager to wrap up this up before he was forced to awkwardly witness another PDA-session between the couple. 

“Hey, what if I stayed and watched?” EJ asked. “You know, for moral support?” 

“I don’t think that’s such a great idea,” Ricky spoke up peevishly. Seriously, who did this guy think he was? He had to draw a line somewhere. 

EJ turned as if he had just now realized Ricky was in the room. “Why not?” he asked.

“Look, those kids are nervous enough having to audition for me, Nini, and their classmates. Adding extra people, especially teachers, is just gonna throw them off even more.” 

“Ricky has a point,” Nini said. EJ turned back to her in confusion. “Babe, it’s great you wanna support the show. But maybe now’s not the best time. I don’t want the kids to be any more anxious than they already are.” 

EJ was visibly annoyed, but he forced the look from his face quickly. “Yeah. Yeah, I get it,” he said. “I’ll, uh, just be rooting you on in spirit, then,” he said, starting for the door. “Break a leg!” He turned to Ricky and added with a little less enthusiasm, “You, too, New Guy.” 

Ricky gave him a vague approximation of a two-finger salute on his way out. 

“Should I bring them in?” Nini asked.

“I’ll get ‘em,” he offered, opening the stage door and noticing Gina lingering just outside, staring distractedly at her phone. “Oh, hey,” he said.

“Hi!” Gina said cheerfully, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. “Sorry. I was just on my way out. Good luck in there.” 

“Thanks…” Ricky murmured as he watched her walk away.

He made his way around to the auditorium entrance, where groups of students milled about, fidgeting nervously or whispering reassurances to one another. He noted that they looked vaguely like deer caught in headlights. It was natural, he supposed. Auditions were always nerve-wracking, even for the most experienced performers. What these kids needed, Ricky decided, was a pep talk. 

“Alright guys, listen up,” he announced, and the chatter died down immediately. “When you guys go in there, I want you to forget about the musical. Forget about me. Forget about Ms. Salazar-Roberts. Forget about your classmates in the audience for a moment. When you’re in there, you’re singing in your shower, or in your bedroom mirror. You’re monologuing to yourself, or to your best friend, or to your mom. There’s a part for everyone, and we’re gonna find it. It’s not a competition. We’re all in this together. You with me?” 

There were some scattered “yeahs,” a few nods, and some wide-eyed stares. Ricky grinned encouragingly as he opened the auditorium doors.

* * *

“Wow,” Ricky mouthed to Nini, using a copy of the script to shield his mouth from the singer onstage. 

“I know,” Nini mouthed back, mimicking his motion. 

The girl finished performing the required thirty-two bars and stopped, eyeing the two directors nervously. 

“Thank you, Abby,” Nini smiled, scrawling something on her clipboard and passing it to Ricky. 

He read the note, written in a neat, looping hand.  _ Belle _ ?

_ Yup _ , he scribbled, passing the note back to his co-director. 

“Okay, let’s bring up the Gastons,” Ricky announced as a new group of hopefuls trooped onstage.

* * *

It was almost 6:00 when the last student filed out of the auditorium, dragging her weighty bookbag and her instrument case with her. Ricky leaned back in his seat, hands behind his head, and let out a yawn.

“Whew,” he sighed. “That took  _ way  _ longer than expected.” He looked to Nini with a grin. 

“That’s good, right?” she asked.

“That’s great!” he exclaimed. “It means we have options.”

She read over the list, eyes narrowed in concentration as she reviewed the notes she had jotted down on each student who auditioned. “Can we agree on one thing?” she asked.

“Anything,” her co-director replied.

“No cuts,” she said. “Anyone we don’t pick for a lead gets to be ensemble. We’ll have a hundred townspeople if we need to.”

“Deal,” Ricky nodded. It was going to be a big ensemble, and he wasn’t entirely sure he would be able to make all of their voices blend - some of the singers weren’t even in tune. But he would find a way to make it work. Anyone could be a musician, after all. 

“Also, nobody is going to play the back half of an animal.” 

Ricky arched a brow in amusement, an impish smirk playing at his face. “I feel like there’s a story there…” 

Nini suddenly felt her cheeks flush a little. She was  _ not  _ prepared to admit to her co-director that she had once played the rear end of a cow. If Kourtney and EJ hadn’t been her classmates when it happened, she wouldn’t have even told them. “It’s...not important,” she said. “Let’s just work on figuring out the cast list.”

* * *

EJ stopped by the auditorium twice after auditions ended. Both times, Nini and Ricky were huddled over their notes, marking things down or debating the merits of one performer over the other. He didn’t quite understand what the back-and-forth was about. It seemed pretty obvious that the good actors should get the leads, but then again this was Nini’s area of expertise, not his. 

After his second time passing by, he checked his watch. Almost 7:00. He had wanted to wait and catch Nini on the way out so he could ask her for a do-over dinner. But it was shaping up to be another late night, and he resigned himself to asking again tomorrow.

The parking lot was deserted by the time he made it outside, and the sun had mostly set. The streetlights came on in the lot, illuminating the night crew custodians’ van. He approached his car, swinging the tailgate open and throwing his bag inside. 

“Hey.” 

EJ swung around, arms raised in a defensive position before he could even process who was standing in front of him. 

“Oh,” he dropped his stance. “Hey.” He recognized the new math teacher, though he couldn’t remember her name. He hadn’t even noticed the black compact parked two spaces down from him, and in the dimming light, her dark clothing had practically blended in with her surroundings. “Jenny, right?”

She didn’t bat an eye. “Gina. But you were close.” 

EJ started around to the driver’s side door, not terribly interested in making small talk. “EJ,” he grunted, preparing to haul himself into the Jeep. 

“I know who you are,” she replied.

He paused. “Do you?” he asked, turning around to face her once more.

Gina nodded. “Yeah, c’mon. You’re EJ Caswell.  _ Coach _ Caswell. Led the Leopards to back-to-back championships. It was in all the local papers.”

EJ felt his chest swell with pride. “We’re gonna make it back-to-back-to- _ back  _ championships this year,” he said. 

Gina folded her arms, a lazy grin spreading across her face. “I don’t doubt it. If anyone can do it, it’s you.” 

Silence fell over the pair. “So...do you normally just hang around parking lots?” EJ asked.

Gina laughed, but it sounded more like a bark. “I was actually just leaving when I saw you come out. Thought I’d introduce myself. You’re sort of like a legend, after all.” 

EJ looked pleased. “I don’t know if I’d go  _ that  _ far,” he said.

“No, it’s true. Everybody I’ve met talks about how you’ve got it all.”

“People talk about me?” EJ asked, blue-green eyes wide. 

“Oh, of course,” Gina answered. “I’m surprised you didn’t know. You’ve got quite the fan club.”   


“What do they say?”

“Lots of stuff. What a great coach you are, how lucky East High is to have you, how you deserved teacher of the year last year, how you and your girlfriend - what’s her name?”

“Nini!” EJ filled in. 

“Right, Nini. How you and Nini make a cute couple. Hey, isn’t she still here, too? She’s directing the play, right?”

“Yeah,” EJ said proudly. “She’s awesome. We’re kind of a power couple around here.” 

“I’m told,” Gina said. “It’s a shame…”

EJ frowned. “What’s a shame?” 

“Nothing!” Gina said, drawing her car key from her pocket and unlocking her car. “Just...the whole co-directing situation.” 

“With the new guy?” EJ blurted. “Look, Nini’s obviously the more qualified person…”

“I know,” Gina held up her hand. “That’s not what I mean.” She sighed. “Look, I didn’t mean anything by it. Maybe it’s nothing. I just...I hope you and Nini are strong. That’s all.” 

“Why?” EJ couldn’t mask the alarm in his tone. Gina was starting to walk away and he suddenly found himself climbing down from the car and moving to catch up to her. 

She paused at her driver’s side door, one hand on the door handle like she was considering getting into the car and driving away without any answers at all. Then she sighed and turned around. “Look, EJ… I don’t want this to get to you because it’s probably nothing.” He didn’t look soothed. “Ever heard of a showmance?” she asked.

“A what?” 

“Showmance. Like a romance, but revolving around a show.” 

EJ shook his head.

“Well, basically it’s this thing that happens when two people are working on a production together. Usually, after a while, the leads start to catch feelings for each other and it turns into something. But it’s not just leads that are susceptible.”

“What are you saying?” EJ asked, his tone turning testy. 

“I’m not saying anything,” Gina soothed. “Just...giving you a heads up is all. Sometimes feelings just...happen.”

“Look, Gina. I know you’re new here so you probably don’t know this,” EJ began, “but Nini and I love each other. So I appreciate your concern, but the musical and Ricky? Not a threat. Never will be a threat.” He found that his voice was steadily rising with each syllable and reminded himself to lower his volume. Nini hated when he raised his voice, even if he didn’t mean to. “Besides, why do you care anyway?” he asked.

Something about Gina put him off. Perhaps it was the way she stood, arms crossed, chin jutting out, a wisp of a smirk on her features like she knew something he didn’t. Or maybe it was that glint in her eyes that reminded him of a hawk. Or a vulture. Or maybe it was the fact that she seemed to think she was qualified to comment on his relationship even though he hadn’t known her name until a few minutes ago. 

“Don’t shoot the messenger, EJ,” Gina patted him on the bicep. He jerked his arm away. “Take it from a girl who’s seen this show play out before. Or don’t. But either way, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She jerked open her door and slipped into her car without another word. EJ stared after her until her taillights disappeared from view.

* * *

It was nearly 8:30 by the time the cast list was finalized and ready for posting the following day. Ricky stood up. He had only just realized how uncomfortably hard the folding chair was, and he was certain he would wake up with back pain the next morning. He stretched and his stomach rumbled, causing Nini to giggle. 

“Don’t laugh!” Ricky said, barely able to suppress a giggle of his own. “It’s singing you the song of its people.” 

“I think its people are starving,” Nini replied, slinging her handbag over her shoulder. 

“Yeah. I didn’t even realize the time until now. It’s, like, an hour past my dinnertime.” 

They started out of the auditorium and Ricky flicked the light switch on the way out. 

“Well it’s about an hour past my  _ bedtime _ ,” Nini laughed as they made their way down the hallway. 

They reached the door and stepped into the cool September air. The sun had gone down entirely and the parking lot was devoid of vehicles save for his yellow SUV and her blue hatchback parked side-by-side. 

Nini turned to him when they reached their cars. “Did we really just cast a musical?” she asked, cocking her head to the side, trying to ascertain whether any of this - the show, the cast,  _ him  _ \- was real. 

“I think so,” Ricky exulted. 

“Oh my god,” she breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. “That actually just happened.  _ We  _ actually just did that.” 

“Easy now,” he grinned. “We still have a whole show to stage.” 

“Yeah, but we have a cast now. That means this is real.” 

Ricky looked at her with some amount of amazement. The way her eyes seemed to light up at the thought of their high school musical becoming real. It was like...well, like a kid. Or like someone discovering something beautiful for the first time. 

“It’s real,” Ricky confirmed. His stomach growled again. “And I  _ real _ ly need to get something to eat. And you  _ real _ ly should get some rest. I’ll post the cast list outside the music room tomorrow.” 

“I’ll make sure the kids check the second it goes up.”

“Good night, Co-Director,” Ricky said, prying open the door of his car. 

“Good night,” Nini replied, a slight smile playing at her lips as she slipped behind the wheel. 

Ricky released a content sigh once his door was safely shut, and he didn’t realize until he was already pulling into the driveway that he had forgotten to turn on the radio.

* * *

Halfpipe launched himself off the couch and rocketed toward Ricky the second he got the door open. The dog ran two circles around the music teacher and then went into a brief sneezing fit. 

“Dude, didn’t know when you were gonna be home so I already cleaned up,” Big Red greeted. “But there’s vegan chili in the fridge.” 

“Vegan chili?” Ricky bent down to rub Halfpipe’s exposed belly. 

“Yeah! Instead of meat, it has black beans!”

Ricky briefly wished the apartment had two bathrooms. 

“Anyway,” Big Red went on, “I got good news today. Remember that skate competition? Guess who’s got the contract!” 

“No way!” Ricky’s eyes lit up. 

“Yes, way! I’m talking exclusive branding and promotions all over the venue, plus all the boards and repairs.”

“Dude, that's  _ huge _ !” 

“Big Red’s is going big, baby! The entire Salt Lake region is gonna know my name.” 

Ricky yanked the fridge open and began rummaging for something that wouldn’t blow him up from the inside out. 

“How were the auditions?” Big Red asked.

Ricky shut the fridge. “Honestly? Most of the performers were alright. But we had a few that really stood out. We put the whole cast list together already.” 

“Damn, the whole thing?” 

Ricky nodded. “Whole thing. It wasn’t that hard, really. We decided not to cut anyone from the show, and the leads were a natural fit.” 

“Dude, look at us,” Big Red clapped his roommate on the back. “Long way from Richards Hall. Big Red and Ricky, doing it big.” 

Ricky laughed, but at the same time he felt a warmth spreading from his stomach up to his chest. Because Big Red was right. They  _ were  _ doing it big and they  _ had  _ come a long way from the dorm room where these dreams - the skate shop, teaching abroad, directing a musical - were born. And the more he turned it over in his mind, the more he thought that maybe Nini hadn’t been crazy for being so giddy earlier. Or at the very least, maybe it was contagious.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know late-night chapter updates can be risky because my tired eyes SUCK at proofreading this late. But I cranked this one out and I was too excited not to share. Please excuse any mistakes. No beta, so I claim them all as my own. Hope you enjoy! As always, reads and kudos are appreciated and comments make my day!

Ricky was torn. As a teacher, he knew he shouldn’t post the cast list until the end of the day. It would just cause a distraction. Too many kids racing down to the lower level between classes. Not to mention the fact that he and Nini would have to contend with any disgruntled cast members all day. But as a director, he couldn’t wait to put the list up. He couldn’t wait to see the looks on the lead actors’ faces. He couldn’t wait for the excited chatter and the wide grins and the supportive cheers from cast members’ friends. He debated going through with it for a good few minutes when he got to school, but decided against it. If he didn’t want to strangle himself by the end of the day, surely Nini would. He settled for printing off the cast list and tucking it away in a desk drawer for later. 

When the bell rang at the end of the day, he tore out of his classroom, masking tape in hand, and posted the list beside his door just as the PA came on and announced, “Attention all members of the musical! The cast list is now posted outside Mr. Bowen’s room. First meeting of the drama club will be directly after school.” 

His phone buzzed and he glanced down to find a text from Nini. 

_ Get ready. Here they come. _

He smiled as he tapped out his response:  _ So ready. _

The hallway outside Ricky’s classroom was soon swarming with kids crowding around the taped piece of paper. Some stood on tiptoe trying to see over their peers, while others wormed their way into any open space. He didn’t know all of their names yet, but with each expression he could already tell a lot: who had expected to be a lead but hadn’t been cast as one, who hadn’t expected to be a lead but had been cast, who was relieved to be part of the ensemble, and who was surprised to have even been cast at all.

“Congratulations, Mariela!” he heard one girl call to another. 

Mariela looked up and mustered a smile. “Thanks,” she said.

She was slight, dark-haired, with a small beauty mark dotting the left-hand corner of her mouth. Ricky had to check the list to see what part she’d gotten. He scanned it over, finally spying  _ Mariela Rivera - Belle (understudy).  _ And then he remembered. She’d given a good performance. Not great, but certainly something to work with. And while her delivery was good during her monologue, there were too many hesitations and moments of uncertainty, too many times where she subconsciously twisted her long hair in her hands. A solid understudy, he had thought at the time, and he still agreed with that decision now. 

Across the hall, a tall, dark-haired senior with chiseled features was high-fiving his friend. It took only a few moments for Ricky to recall his name. Morgan. Looking for all the world like a teenage Gaston brought to life. Ricky had initially written the kid off when he stepped onstage, especially after learning that he was also on the basketball team. And then Morgan had opened his mouth and unleashed a near-perfect baritone. 

A squeal of delight went up from the front of the group of kids viewing the cast list, and Ricky immediately recognized Abby jumping up and down, no doubt thrilled with being cast as Belle. Nini had campaigned hard for her, and Ricky had to admit there was something special about the girl. She never seemed to run out of energy the entire time she’d been onstage. 

Abby turned and threw her arms around a blonde standing to her right. The rosy-cheeked girl laughed and hugged her back. Katie. AKA Mrs. Potts.

“Yo! Beast!” Morgan called to an equally-as-handsome blond boy making his way down the hall. Elijah. They certainly had their work cut out for them trying to costume Elijah into appearing scraggly and ferocious. At the very least, it wouldn’t be hard to make him look princely once the Beast was transformed back into a human.

“Seriously?” Elijah exclaimed, breaking into a sprint to verify his part. 

“Seriously!” Morgan said, guiding the teen over to the paper. The rest of the assembled students parted like the sea for them. 

Ricky grinned, reveling in the students’ delight. The hallway exuded more energy than it could contain. He turned and spotted Nini making her way down the hall to join them. 

“I would ask how it’s going,” she said as she approached, “but I could hear the excitement from upstairs.” 

“They seem pretty satisfied,” Ricky told her, glancing around. His eyes settled on two boys sitting against the wall. 

“Another year, another understudy,” one said to the other. 

His friend shrugged. “Shit happens. At least we’re in the show.”

Ricky’s face fell for a moment and he had to remind himself that there weren’t enough leads in the world for everyone. And at least Nini’s no-cuts policy had ensured that everyone got to be in the production. 

“Alright, everyone!” Nini called, but her voice was lost amid the din of the drama club. She turned to Ricky, an imploring look in her eyes.

“Alright, everyone!” Ricky called, raising his voice above the noise. A hush fell over the group. He turned to Nini with a smile. “What do you think, Ms. Salazar-Roberts? Should we give them their scripts?” 

“An excellent idea, Mr. Bowen,” Nini smiled back. “In fact, let’s have a read-through!” 

* * *

It took a good fifteen minutes to get everyone settled. First the scripts had to be handed out. Then the music room had to be rearranged. The chairs had to be stacked and the stands had to be racked so that there was enough room for everyone to sit on the tiered floor. 

Once everyone had found a spot, the co-directors laid out the rules for rehearsals. No phones except in emergencies. Bring comfortable shoes. Bring a pencil. Bring a snack. Bring your script. “Bring a positive attitude,” Nini added. 

“And most importantly,” Ricky said, “leave all the drama on the stage.” A few students cracked smiles and he mentally patted himself on the back for how clever it was. 

With the rules in order, they settled in for the read-through. 

“Before we begin,” Nini said once everyone had opened to the first page, “I just want to say that I’m really happy we’re all here.” She glanced around the room. She had practiced this speech all of the previous night. She’d run it by both Kourtney and EJ. (Kourtney had offered some edits but EJ had assured her that it was brilliant as it was). She had rehearsed it on the drive to school, during her prep and lunch. It had to be inspiring. It had to be motivating. It had to bolster the confidence of the leads and make every ensemble member feel the importance of their part. And now she was blanking on all of it. 

She cleared her throat. “And I want you all to know how carefully we considered every part. It doesn’t matter whether you’re playing Belle,” she locked eyes with Abby, “or Gaston,” she looked to Morgan. “It doesn’t matter if you’re in the ensemble or if you’re an understudy. And it doesn’t matter whether this is your first show or your hundredth. Everyone has a part here and every part is important. You may not feel it yet, but by the end of this production, the bond between you all will be unbreakable. It’ll be like…” she trailed off, turning to her right to see Ricky watching her with an unreadable expression.

“Family?” he offered, completing her thought.

“Family,” she nodded, turning back to the cast. “And the read-through is step one on that journey.” 

* * *

It was immediately clear to Ricky and Nini that they had made the right choice in cast. Although it was their first time seeing the script, Abby and Elijah read as if it were their opening night performance: full of passion and emotion. Had she not known better, Nini would’ve believed they were both off-book. 

They broke for snack at the second act. 

“Holy crap,” Ricky turned to Nini. “Can you believe how good they are?” 

“I know!” she gushed. “And this is just the first read-through. Imagine what it’ll be like once they’re off-book and onstage. I mean, we might be there by next week at this rate.” 

Ricky let out a short chuckle. “Don’t jinx it,” he said, and though his tone was joking, it was clear from the look on his face that he meant it.

Nini laughed. “Point taken. But seriously, this cast…” she trailed off again, taking in all of the students mingling about the room, sharing Goldfish crackers and pretzels and peeling oranges. Two ensemble members attempted to stab a straw into a Capri Sun without luck. “They’re something special, Ricky. This show is going to be unforgettable.” 

When she turned to face her co-director again, she found the same unreadable expression. She opened her mouth to ask him what he was thinking about when a hand clapped onto her shoulder. 

“Hey, babe!”

Nini turned to find EJ standing beside her, his boyish grin splitting his face ear-to-ear. 

“What are you doing here?” Nini giggled. 

“Came to check on you. See how the first day is going.” He surveyed the cast members, most of whom hadn’t noticed his entrance. He nodded to Morgan and Elijah. 

“It’s going great,” Nini said. “Better than great.” 

“Yeah, we’ve got quite the talented group here,” Ricky inserted himself into the conversation, already eager for EJ to leave and secretly hoping he wouldn’t interrupt every drama club activity. He wanted to be understanding. The musical would be cutting into his time with Nini. And Nini was his girlfriend, so he had every right to want to spend time with her. But he was getting sick of EJ barging in. Besides, after accidentally invading their moment days before, Ricky found it hard to look at them the same way when they were together. 

EJ glanced at Ricky. “That’s great,” he said, and then turned back to his girlfriend, speaking lowly and close to her ear so that the music teacher couldn’t hear. Something about his tone - the dismissiveness, or maybe the way EJ always seemed to look  _ through  _ him, not at him - caused Ricky to bristle. 

Nini let out a shy laugh at whatever it was EJ said to her, then spoke up. “Anyway, babe. We should probably get back to our read-through. We’re about to start act two.” Her whole face lit up as she said it, and it was obvious that she was eager to return to the musical. 

“Oh,” EJ’s face fell. “Okay. Well maybe we can do something tonight?” 

“Maybe,” Nini said, already walking him to the door. “I’ll call you?” 

“Sure,” EJ said, and Nini closed the door behind him. 

With a sigh, EJ headed for the stairwell. He made his way up the stairs and paused as he reached the wooden door, resting a hand on the handle. It gave slightly under his hand, indicating it was unlocked. The lights were on, but he couldn’t see anyone inside. He realized his heart was pounding suddenly, but couldn’t explain why. It was just a classroom, and he was just going to talk to a coworker. So why did he feel so  _ dirty _ just for being here? 

With a deep breath, EJ pushed down on the handle and opened the door. Gina’s classroom was bare. The desks were arranged in neat rows. There were no posters adorning the walls, and barely anything on the shelves or desk. Gina was erasing her whiteboard, but she looked up when he entered.

“Oh. Hi,” she said slowly, setting the eraser down and moving toward the desk. She shuffled a few sheets of paper. “Did you need something?” 

“Yesterday,” EJ said, and immediately realized he was talking far too loud once again. He continued in a softer voice, though he couldn’t force the brusqueness from his tone, “How do you know so much about showmances or whatever?” 

A slow, lazy smile spread across Gina’s face as she let the papers drop from her hands. They made a soft rustling noise as they hit the desk and fanned out slightly. “Let’s just say I’ve been in more than a couple of schools. I’ve seen it happen time and again between cast, crew, and yes, even directors. I get it, though. I mean, you have so much in common with the other person. And on top of that, you’re spending so many long hours working side-by-side with them. Hard days and nights… I guess it’s only natural to start seeing them in a new light.” 

EJ clenched and unclenched his jaw. He didn’t want to believe anything Gina was saying. Showmance? The word itself sounded stupid. But he had to admit some of it made sense. Nini had always loved books. And music. And shows. And romance. And now here was Ricky, helping her stage a show that was sort of the ultimate combination of all of those things. 

“Besides,” Gina continued nonchalantly, “Have you seen the way Ricky looks at her? The boy is smitten.” 

EJ’s fists clenched and his jaw tightened. So he hadn’t been going crazy. He’d noticed it when he walked into the music room. The way Ricky stared at Nini like she was the only person in the room. Like he was in awe of her very existence. EJ imagined it was the same way he had looked at Nini before they started dating. The only difference was, he and Nini were together now. Which meant Ricky had no business gaping at her the way he did. Even if she was oblivious, Nini would notice sooner or later. “You see it too, then,” he said begrudgingly.

Gina offered a sympathetic smile. “EJ, I’m sure most people have noticed.” 

The PE teacher shook his head. “I don’t know. I mean, I’m not a fan of how he looks at her, that’s for sure. But Nini’s still my girlfriend. We love each other. Even if Ricky does have a thing for her, it’s not like she’ll do anything about it if she finds out.” 

“You seem awful certain,” Gina shrugged. “But if that’s how you feel… Good luck,” she said, gathering the papers once more and preparing to stick them into her bag. 

“Look, what’s your game?” EJ finally asked. “Why tell me this besides to get in my head.” 

Gina rolled her eyes. “I’m not trying to get into your head. I just hate seeing a perfectly good power couple split up by avoidable causes.” 

“And how’s this avoidable? They’re co-directors. They’re gonna be working together a lot.” 

“True. But there are ways to prevent any spark that’s there from catching fire. I know you love Nini, EJ. So my only question is, how much are you going to fight to keep her?”

It wasn’t a question. EJ knew the answer before Gina had even asked. How much would he fight to keep Nini? To the death. He would fight with every last fiber of his being. Nini wasn’t like other girls. Other women. She wasn’t like the string of shallow girls he’d dated in college - the same ones who were always around when he was still on the basketball team, but who mysteriously stopped returning his calls and texts after his knee injury benched him permanently. Nini was radiant. She was pure gold in human form. She was real. And for nearly a year, she’d been his. He was this close to asking her to move in with him when her lease was up. There was no doubt in his mind that he would fight with everything he had to keep her. 

“I’m guessing you have a plan?” he bit out, and the Cheshire-cat smirk on Gina’s face made him loathe her even more. It made him loathe himself for coming here, for talking to her. Maybe if he hadn’t, he could’ve pretended for a bit longer. He could’ve deluded himself into thinking that Ricky’s expression was a normal one for co-directors to share. That he wasn’t making lovesick puppy dog eyes at her because he had a thing for her. 

“Do I have a plan?” Gina repeated. “I’m a math teacher. I would never point out a problem without also having a solution in mind.” 

EJ wavered for a moment. He realized he could just walk out. Leave Gina standing in her empty classroom and slam the door behind him. But even as he weighed this option, he knew he couldn’t bring himself to walk away now. Not when his suspicions over Ricky's intentions had just been confirmed. “What is it?” 

She answered with a question. “How is the musical going?” 

EJ was caught off guard. Why did she care? He shrugged. “Good, I guess. I mean Nini was gushing about how good the read-through was going.” 

Gina nodded sagely. “That’s not good.”

“Why not?” 

“If things are going really well, they’ll start believing they work well together. And if that’s the case, it’s only a short leap to believing they have chemistry. We just need to cause a little chaos. Derail them a bit. A little tension goes a long way to ruining any shot of a budding showmance.” 

EJ turned the idea over in his mind. “Like sabotage,” he said grimly. 

“Think of it more like...relationship insurance,” Gina suggested. 

“Why do you even care?” he frowned. “What’s in it for you?”

Gina let out a harsh laugh. “Why does there have to be something in it for me?” 

He knew girls like Gina. He’d  _ dated  _ girls like Gina. Girls like Gina didn’t lift a finger unless it benefited them. “You don’t seem like the kind of person to do something unless you’ll get something in return,” he said.

The math teacher placed a hand over her heart. “You wound me,” she said sarcastically. “But, if you must know, I’m down some numbers for my academic decathlon team and for robotics. That wouldn’t be an issue except the board cut funding and Gutierrez is gonna cancel my programs if I don’t have the numbers to justify their existence. Maybe a little drama in the drama club would encourage some kids to look into other extracurriculars.” 

EJ felt sick to his stomach. “So let me get this straight. Your idea is to mess with the musical, cause chaos in Nini’s life, maybe steal some of her cast for your clubs… And all just to put a rift between her and her co-director?” 

“A co-director who is practically fawning all over  _ your  _ girlfriend,” Gina reminded him.

“I don’t know,” EJ said quietly. “I don’t think it’ll be worth it if it’s going to cause Nini stress. She’s already under a lot of pressure.” 

“Think of it this way,” Gina said. “She’s a tough girl. And you’ll be her knight in shining armor, standing loyally by her side. If anything, she’ll probably love your more for it.” 

EJ swallowed. His throat suddenly felt a bit tight. He turned the idea over and over in his mind, and as much as he hated himself for it, he had to admit that it made some amount of sense.


	6. Chapter 6

Ricky had only been backstage a handful of times. Once during auditions, and a few times during rehearsal, but he had never poked around much. The backstage area was hidden behind rows of heavy red curtains, obscured completely from the auditorium’s warm ambient lighting. And unlike the rest of East High, it wasn’t immaculate, gleaming, and up-to-date. Props were thrown haphazardly, set pieces jutted out at odd angles so that every square foot was a tripping hazard, and a layer of dust coated just about everything. He almost sneezed when he pulled back the final curtain and slipped behind it.

Nini had warned him that nobody dared go near the backstage area between shows, and that it was unlikely to have ever been tidied even once. The result was the jumbled heap of sets and props that Ricky found before him. He fumbled along the cinderblock wall until his fingers found the lightswitch. Flicking it revealed the true extent of the horror.

Costume racks were parked four layers deep, draped in all manner of crazy outfits from past shows. Some set pieces had been overturned and crates labeled “PROPS” were piled up like a barricade around the space. Ricky sighed. It would take more than just a prep period to sort through it all. Probably more than a school day altogether.

But Nini had said that the props and set pieces for  _ Cinderella _ were somewhere in the chaos. How hard could it be to find a couple of castle backdrops and a few ballgowns? He grabbed the first plastic crate and pried open the lid, stumbling backwards as it unleashed a cloud of dust into the room. He peered into the crate, disappointed to find nothing but feather boas and a few sparkly sunglasses.  _ What show are these even from?  _

Ricky turned his attention to the setpieces, hoping that there might be some semblance of order to their arrangement. He spun the first cardboard piece around, revealing a 1950s diner backdrop complete with black-and-white checkerboard tiling and a painted-on neon sign. Clearly  _ Grease  _ had been the production at one point in East High’s past. 

He sifted through the others. An overturned canoe, impressively hewn out of real lumber, from  _ Once On This Island.  _ A psychedelic backdrop with “The Corny Collins Show” emblazoned across it from  _ Hairspray _ . A painted chocolate river from  _ Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory _ . Each piece was like unearthing an artifact on an archaeological dig, and he found himself wondering who had starred in each production. Had Nini or one of his other coworkers been involved? Had any of the current cast?

By the end of the period, Ricky was certain he had turned over every set piece without finding anything usable for  _ Beauty and the Beast _ . There was nothing from  _ Cinderella _ , and nothing even remotely close to the backdrops they would inevitably need for the production. Dejected, he mounted the stairs two-at-a-time, searching for Nini. Maybe there was another backstage area, or a prop closet, or something he hadn’t thought to check yet. She’d been so certain that the pieces were there, and she would know better, he reasoned. 

Nini was sitting at her desk, scrolling through her phone when he rapped on the doorframe and stepped into the classroom. She jumped. 

“Sorry!” Ricky apologized quickly. 

Nini let out a soft laugh, placing her hand over her heart. “Don’t be,” she said. “That’s what I get for being on my phone when I should be prepping for next period. Did you find the scenery from  _ Cinderella _ ?” 

“Actually, no,” Ricky replied. “I’m pretty sure I went through every piece and I can’t find a single thing that we can use.”

Nini frowned. “Are you sure? Because I checked backstage on the first day of school and they were all there.”

“Maybe I wasn’t looking in the right place?”

She glanced at the clock. “I’ll come look with you during lunch,” she offered. “It’s kind of a mess back there. Maybe you missed them?”

“I hope so,” Ricky replied. “We really need those sets.” 

* * *

They met backstage as soon as the bell rang, signalling the start of their lunch period. Ricky pulled back the curtain and held it open for Nini before switching on the light and bathing the dusty room in a dim, incandescent yellow once more. 

“I already looked through all of those set pieces,” he said, indicating the slightly-neater pile arranged by show - he couldn’t stand to put them back without ordering them somehow. There were at least ten years’ worth of scenery. 

Nini furrowed her brow, raking her eyes over each piece. “That’s it?” she asked. He nodded. “That’s so weird…” She began to sift through the items, worrying her bottom lip as she shuffled the cardboard scenes around. “I swear I’m not going crazy! They were right here,” she cried after a few minutes of futile searching. “I saw them the day before auditions.” 

“I believe you,” Ricky soothed, standing beside her. 

“I don’t understand…” she murmured. 

Ricky decided that he didn’t like seeing Nini stressed. The way she creased her forehead and chewed her lip pensively somehow seemed out-of-place on her normally-serene features. “Maybe we’ll have better luck with the costumes,” he suggested, pulling one of the racks closer to them. 

Nini nodded, abandoning a tropical jungle backdrop from  _ Once On This Island  _ and moving to dig through the clothing with him.

Ricky pulled a leather jacket off a hanger and wrapped it around himself, striking a pose. “How do I look?”

Nini laughed, sizing him up. “Like James Dean, but slightly more ridiculous.” He grinned as he slipped the jacket off. 

“How about this one?” she asked, pulling out a purple coat from  _ Willy Wonka _ . It was two sizes too big for her small frame, but she donned it anyway. 

“I don’t think we’ll be able to use that for the show,” Ricky chuckled. “But you look good in purple!” 

She gave a twirl before shedding the coat and draping it back over the rack. The two rifled through the clothes in amicable silence for a while, pulling out ridiculous wardrobe choices and laughing about them together. None of them seemed to work for their purposes. 

“Oh! Look at this!” Nini exclaimed, pulling out a tattered gray dress with pink stitching. “I wore this in  _ Les Miserables _ ! I can’t believe they kept it.” 

Ricky appraised the costume. “Fantine?” he questioned.

“God, no,” she answered with a modest laugh. “I wish. I was a Lovely Lady. I still remember opening night. I wore this costume and I had this really tight corset on underneath. Like  _ way  _ too tight,” she gestured with her hands, indicating the cinched waist, then trailed off when she caught Ricky’s wide-eyed expression. Instantly, she could feel her cheeks heating up and she was positive that she was bright red, even with her tan complexion.

“I see…” Ricky replied lamely, the tips of his ears burning as he tried very hard not to imagine his co-director in said corset. He decided he needed a distraction. For both their sakes. He reached onto the rack and drew out a cartoonish-looking cow head attached to an equally cartoonish cow body. “What’s this?” 

“Oh, that!” Nini snatched it from him. “Nothing. Just a…”

“...Cow costume,” he finished, the realization dawning on him. “The front of a cow costume…Which means…”

“Yes, there’s a back half,” Nini squeaked. Then she added under her breath, “I thought I burned the damn thing.” 

A roguish smile spread across Ricky’s face, but it faded when he realized how mortified Nini looked. “We don’t have to mention it again if you don’t want to,” he said. 

“My freshman year, we did  _ Gypsy  _ and I was in the chorus,” Nini blurted, her words running into one another to the point that Ricky had a hard time figuring out what she was saying. “And when it came time for the cow to be onstage…” 

“You were the back half?” Ricky filled in. 

She nodded. “Not my best role.” 

He bit back a grin. “I’m sure your Lovely Lady topped it.” 

She gave him a playful shove. “Okay, and what was the pinnacle of your high school theater career?” 

“I was an outstanding audience member,” he said.

“You were never in a production?” she asked, astonished.

“Nope,” Ricky replied. “Matter of fact, I probably wouldn’t have even gone to a single show if my girlfriend hadn’t been in the ensemble.” 

It had never occurred to Nini that Ricky might have a girlfriend. It hadn’t really occurred to her to ask after his life at all beyond what he volunteered. But she was happy that he had a girlfriend and a life outside of school and the show. Before EJ, work had been about the only thing in her life, and that _sucked_. “I didn’t know you had a girlfriend,” she said cheerfully. 

“I don’t,” he answered flatly. “Not anymore. We dated in high school and I went to all the shows, but then we broke up.” 

“Right,” Nini could feel the heat creeping into her cheeks again. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to bring up any bad memories.” 

“Hey, I started it,” Ricky grinned. “I made you have a PTSD flashback to your time in the back half of a cow costume.”

“Fair,” Nini laughed. “Let’s just agree never to speak of any of this again.” 

“Deal.” 

They continued digging through old costumes and props, growing more and more dejected with each fruitless search. Finally, with only a few minutes left in the period, they reluctantly gave up. 

“I don’t get it,” Nini said. “They were here just last week.” 

The auditorium door opened and slammed shut, and the two directors peered out from behind the curtain to see who had entered. 

“You kids looking for something?” a voice called from the back. 

“Larry!” Nini exclaimed, stepping fully out from behind the curtain. Ricky joined her and saw an older custodian, his beard gray and unkempt. “Just the man we needed. We’re looking for the old props and set pieces from  _ Cinderella _ . They were here a few days ago but now they’re gone.”

“Well I’ll say they’re gone!” Larry replied. “Me and a couple of the night crew hauled them out to the dumpster last night.” 

“What?” Nini cried. “Why?” 

The custodian seemed confused. “Well they were all mixed in with the junk pile, so we took it all.” 

Nini turned to Ricky. “I don’t know how that could’ve happened.” 

“Must’ve been a mistake,” Ricky offered feebly. 

“Look, I’m awful sorry if we weren’t supposed to take them,” Larry said. “But you might wanna tidy up back here so it doesn’t happen again.” 

“Are they still in the dumpster?” Nini asked. She was just desperate enough to seriously consider climbing inside and recovering all of the lost showpieces, though she knew Kourtney would smack her if she were there. 

“Nope, garbage gets picked up at six o’clock every morning. Like clockwork,” Larry said. “Anyway, I gotta polish the stage so you kids better get on outta here. You got classes to teach and all.” 

“Thanks anyway,” Nini sighed in defeat as she and Ricky stepped off the stage and made their way back out into the hall. 

“I can’t believe it,” she turned to Ricky. “All those sets and props. Even the costumes. It just doesn’t make any sense.” 

“It was pretty messy back there,” Ricky said. “It sounds like an honest mistake.” 

“But we’re screwed,” Nini replied, catching her bottom lip between her teeth once more. “We needed those pieces. We can’t afford to design a whole new set  _ and  _ hire a choreographer  _ and  _ buy a ballgown for Belle.” 

“We’ll find a way,” Ricky promised. “We might have to cut some corners here and there, and it probably won’t be everything we wanted, but we’ll find a way to make it work.”

“I don’t mean to eavesdrop, but maybe I can help.” 

They wheeled around to find Ashlyn standing behind them, a grin on her face. 

“You heard all that?” Nini asked.

“Enough of it,” Ashlyn shrugged, her red curls bouncing against her shoulders. “But I think I might have a solution.” 

“What is it?” Ricky asked eagerly.

The history teacher’s grin broadened. “Okay, so you guys are gonna think I’m a total dork but I don’t care. I’m the High Priestess for the Salt Lake Renaissance Fair, which means I’m also on the planning committee…” 

The co-directors exchanged a glance.

“The fair isn’t till summer, so we have a bunch of sets sitting in a storage unit right now. I’m sure there’s stuff in there that you guys could borrow.” 

“You’re serious?” Ricky asked, eyes wide with excitement. 

“Of course! It’s not like we’re using it. And if you can’t find what you need in there, I’d be more than happy to help design something. There’s a couple of kids here that do ren fair. I bet I could convince them to pitch in.” 

Nini rushed forward and threw her arms around Ashlyn, wrapping her up in a tight hug and rocking her slightly from side to side. The redhead froze for a moment, then let out a chuckle as she hugged the smaller woman back. 

“You’re amazing. A goddess. A lifesaver. Just...every positive adjective you can think of,” Nini exulted. “You have no idea how much you’ve just saved us.” 

“Please,” Ashlyn said modestly, “you’d be helping me. I’ve been meaning to test out some new designs for the fair. Working on the show will just be proof of concept for the planning committee.”

“Seriously, Ashlyn, we owe you big time,” Ricky said. 

“It’s nothing,” the history teacher insisted. “But if you wanted to throw in a plug for the renaissance fair, I wouldn’t say no.” 

“Done,” Ricky promised. “We’ll put it all over. East High presents  _ Beauty and the Beast _ , in conjunction with the Salt Lake Renaissance Fair.” 

“Okay, that might be a bit much,” Ashlyn laughed. “But seriously, just let me know what you need and I’ll try to make it happen.” 

Ricky watched as Ashlyn proceeded down the hallway, her teal floral-print dress sweeping behind her. He thanked every deity and cosmic entity he could imagine for putting good, selfless people like Ashlyn Caswell in the right place at the right time. 

* * *

EJ was collecting wayward basketballs and dropping them back in their bin at the end of the day when Nini sprinted into the gym, her flats slapping against the gleaming wood floor. 

“EJ! EJ, your cousin is  _ amazing _ ,” she squealed, sliding to a halt in front of him, chest heaving with effort from dashing down the stairs. 

He laughed and brushed back a tendril of her dark hair that had come loose and fallen into her face. “Who? Ash? You don’t have to tell me. I grew up with her.” 

“No, you don’t understand. I was having the worst day.” 

The PE teacher knit his brows. “What happened?” he asked, his hands coming to rest on Nini’s shoulders. 

“Ricky and I went backstage during lunch,” she told him.

“Oh,” he said, surprised because since when had Nini and Ricky started eating lunch together? Or hanging out backstage during the day? “I was wondering where you went.” 

“Yeah, sorry. There’s no service backstage so I couldn’t text you. I didn’t even get to eat.” She noted his look of concern but carried on. “Anyway, we were back there all period…” 

“All period?” EJ questioned. 

Nini brushed it off. “We weren’t planning to be there all period. We were just looking for the old props and sets from  _ Cinderella _ . Remember how I said we wanted to reuse them?” She waited for her boyfriend to nod before continuing. “Well we got back there and couldn’t find them.” 

“I see…” 

“Turns out, they got mixed in with a pile of junk so the custodians threw them away.” 

“All of the sets?” EJ reiterated, and Nini nodded. 

“Plus most of the costumes and props,” she said. “I guess they were all in one place and got mistaken for garbage.” 

EJ nodded, a mixture of skepticism and dread creeping over him. “So where does my cousin fit into all of this?” he asked.

“Well, Ricky and I were talking about how we’d have to pull from the budget to design the sets. But that would leave us no money for a choreographer. Ashlyn heard us and she offered to let us borrow some of the pieces from the renaissance fair!”

“That’s awesome news!” EJ said, breathing an inward sigh of relief.  _ So it worked out in the end. Go Ash! _

“And she also volunteered to help design any of the remaining pieces we needed.”

_ Point two for Ashlyn. I gotta send her a bottle of wine or something _ , EJ thought. 

“Seriously, she’s awesome. How’d I get so lucky?” Nini finished.

“Lucky?” EJ’s gaze snapped back to Nini’s, and he found himself staring into her adoring, deep brown eyes. 

“Yes, lucky,” she said, bringing one hand up to cup his cheek. “Clearly the Caswells have a knack for churning out good people. I’ve got you and you’re kinda the best. And then there’s your cousin, who’s going out of her way to help out two people she barely even knows…” 

EJ forced a laugh, hoping his girlfriend wouldn’t notice. “Yup, that’s us Caswells,” he said. “Always looking to pitch in. Hey, listen. I’ll be right back. I just gotta go...check on something real quick.” 

“O-okay. Yeah,” Nini said, but EJ was already walking briskly across the gym toward the exit. 

He was inwardly fuming just a little bit as he made his way up the stairs. Thank god for Ashlyn. Ever-reliable, always determined to do the right thing. Even when they were kids, she’d been the first to cover for him when he’d done something stupid and would’ve gotten in trouble for it.  _ Guess that hasn’t changed _ . 

Gina was in her classroom, straightening out the desks. EJ walked in without knocking. 

“What the hell?” he demanded.

Gina turned slowly, as if she’d been expecting him. “Hello to you too,” she said with a slight smirk. 

“Nini told me what happened.” 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Gina said coolly. 

EJ fixed her with a look. “Seriously? So you mean to tell me that all of the set pieces, props, and costumes they needed for the show just  _ happened  _ to go missing overnight?” 

“Oh that!” Gina feigned surprise. “Yeah, I’m surprised the auditorium isn’t locked at night.” She noted that his expression hadn’t changed and added, “I don’t know why you’re up-in-arms. I told you about the plan and you agreed.” 

“I didn’t agree!” EJ protested. “I said I would think about it.”

“Fine, you were considering it. Whatever. I don’t have time to wait for you to debate the ethics of this. You want to risk your girlfriend falling for her lovesick co-director, that’s up to you.” 

“Nini was stressed. She spent her whole lunch period looking for those props. She didn’t even get to eat. And your stupid plan backfired anyway because she spent the whole period  _ with  _ Ricky searching. I thought the point was to drive them apart, not get them to spend even more time together.” 

“It will work,” Gina replied. “Give it time.” 

“I just...I don’t know,” EJ said after a minute, letting his arms fall to his sides limply. “I don’t like seeing Nini upset. She works so hard…” 

“The stress is the point,” the math teacher answered. “Look, I know it sounds cold but it’s for the best, really. For her and for you. For your future together. Besides, now’s your chance to swoop in and make it better like the hero we all know you are.” 

Gina crossed the room and picked up her tote, carefully packing a folder inside and then settling it in the crook of her arm.

“It doesn’t really matter anyway,” the PE teacher said, looking up at her. “Ashlyn’s offering to let them borrow set pieces and stuff from the renaissance fair. So the problem’s solved.” 

“I see,” Gina answered thoughtfully. “Well, that’s an unforeseen setback. Don’t worry, though. I always have a plan B.” The math teacher started for the door, pausing to pat EJ on the shoulder with a condescending smirk. “Keep sleeping on it, though. When you’re done wrestling with your morals, you know where to find me.” 

EJ watched as Gina made her way down the hall, leaving him standing alone in her classroom. He replayed their previous conversations in his head. All the things she’d said about showmances and the danger Ricky presented to his and Nini’s relationship. He didn’t want to believe it. He and Nini had been together for a year. They were unbreakable. But there was something about Ricky. Something about the way he looked at Nini and the way Nini laughed at the things he said that unnerved him. And now they were spending lunch together? Backstage? Alone? He found himself contemplating if he should be rooting against Gina or joining her in executing plan B, whatever that might be. 

Could he really put Nini through all of that? After all, she thought he was a good person. She’d said so herself. She’d said she was lucky to be dating him. And now here he was, potentially plotting against her. “Shit,” EJ cursed under his breath as he left the classroom and shut the door behind him. How did he always manage to find himself in these situations?


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously, you guys. Thank you for all the comments and support! I'm debating going back into the earlier chapters and reworking/editing them further. I think I'm finally starting to hit a groove with my writing again and some of the previous chapters (1 and 2 especially) just feel a little disappointing to me. The storyline would remain the same, I would just be looking to rework some dialogue and add more details in. What do you guys think? As always, reads and kudos are deeply appreciated and comments make my day. Enjoy!

Nini’s cell phone rang just as she pulled into the parking lot on Friday morning. The shrill tone of the car’s Bluetooth startled her, causing her to involuntarily tap the brakes. She fumbled with the steering wheel control as “Principal Gutierrez” flashed across the screen. Finally, the call connected.

“Hello,” she greeted, trying to force the worry from her voice and inwardly cursing when it came out shaky anyway.

“Ms. Salazar-Roberts,” Principal Gutierrez said. “Will you be in today?” 

“Yes,” Nini confirmed, throwing the car in park but not daring to shut the engine off. “I just pulled in, actually.”

“Perfect. Please come see me in my office before heading to your classroom,” he said. It wasn’t a request. 

“Right. Yes. Of course. I’ll be right there.”

“Excellent.” The principal hung up without another word. 

The Bluetooth chirped as the call disconnected and Nini slumped in the driver’s seat, heart beating against her rib cage as she released a breath. She wished Principal Gutierrez had given her a little more context. Why did he need to see her in his office? And why this early? Had she done something wrong?

Finally, Nini mustered the courage to shut off the engine and push the driver’s side door open. She reached into the passenger footwell slowly, heaving up her handbag just as Ricky’s yellow XTerra creaked into the space beside her. 

He hopped out of the driver’s seat. “Morning!” he said, and ordinarily Nini would’ve been equally as chipper to see her co-director. Ricky had always seemed nice, but she had to admit that the more she got to know him, the happier she was that they were becoming friends. 

“Hey!” she tried to force the cheer into her tone, hoping he didn’t know her well enough yet to know she was faking. 

Ricky furrowed his brow. “What’s wrong?” 

_So much for that._

“Nothing,” Nini replied too quickly. “Just...Principal Gutierrez wants me to see him. But I’m sure it’s nothing.” 

The pair crossed the parking lot towards the front entrance. Nini caught herself chewing on her bottom lip and stopped. Kourtney had made her promise to stop doing that after she’d worried her lip to the point of bleeding once. 

“Want me to come with?” Ricky asked, holding the door for her. 

_Yes. Please_ , Nini thought. There was nothing she would’ve liked more than to have a friend in there for moral support. Or at least right outside. But she shook her head. “No, it’s alright. I don’t want to keep you if it runs long.” 

They entered the main office together and Nini paused outside Gutierrez’s door, taking another deep breath to steady herself. 

“Good luck,” Ricky patted her on the back and she tensed as his hand contacted her. Their eyes met and for a moment she sensed hesitation from her co-director, as if he had just processed that he had touched her. A strange expression passed over his face. 

“Th-thanks,” Nini replied, rapping lightly on the wooden door. 

“Come in,” Gutierrez called from inside.

Ricky flashed her a final encouraging smile as she pushed the door open and plunged into the carpeted office. 

Principal Gutierrez’s office was easily twenty degrees colder than the rest of the school. The window air conditioner ran at full-blast and Nini could feel goosebumps rising on her exposed forearms. She hadn’t considered needing a sweater in mid-September. 

“Thank you for meeting with me, Ms. Salazar-Roberts,” Principal Gutierrez said, gesturing to one of the two chairs arranged in front of his heavy oak desk. Nini lowered herself onto the frigid blue vinyl, setting her handbag down in front of her. 

“Of course. Is everything alright, Principal Gutierrez?” It was an unspoken agreement. He never called her Nini, or even Nina, and so she never called him Ernesto or - god forbid - Ernie. Formal titles only, which made everything seem somehow even more intimidating. 

“I have some bad news, I’m afraid,” he said, folding his hands. 

Nini’s heart sank. She ran through everything she’d done wrong in her mind and came up blank. She’d gotten good scores on all of her observations. Her resume was honest and airtight. She’d even agreed to take on the play and drama classes despite having no background in either aside from her string of ensemble roles in high school. But she supposed that as a non-tenured faculty member, they didn’t really need a reason to let her go. 

“It’s regarding the musical,” he continued. Nini sat up straighter.

The musical? So this wasn’t about her job? She wasn’t sure whether to breathe a sigh of relief or hold it in for fear of what was coming. 

“W-what about the musical?” She asked, resenting the tremble in her voice even as she said it. 

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to take some funds from your budget,” Gutierrez said.

“Why?” Nini cried. She pursed her lips when she realized how loud she had been and hoped he wouldn’t think she was being insubordinate.

If he thought that, he didn’t show it. “Unfortunately, the board had to cut funding for extracurriculars this year, which means all the clubs and activities are sharing a tighter budget. I tried to estimate how much each club would need and allocated funds accordingly, but the scholastic decathlon team has been invited to compete in the Four Corners Academic Bowl.” 

“Scholastic decathlon?” Nini repeated.

Principal Gutierrez nodded. “Yes. Ms. Porter was able to secure them a place in the bowl, but the transportation costs alone exceed her budget. I’m very sorry to spring this on you, but the musical has the largest budget by far. And seeing as you haven’t begun ordering anything yet…” 

Nini sighed. “I understand,” she said. 

Gutierrez offered a vague approximation of a smile, which was about all he could muster, Nini suspected. “I appreciate that you’re a team player, Ms. Salazar-Roberts,” he said. “The Four Corners Bowl is an elite competition. I’m sure Ms. Porter’s students will be grateful for the opportunity to compete.” 

“Of course,” Nini forced a smile. She couldn’t bring herself to be mad at him, or at Gina, or the scholastic decathlon team. From the sound of it, even competing at this scholastic bowl was a great honor. She supposed it made sense that the musical’s budget was cut. They had the most money to work with, after all. “W-was that all?” she asked, beginning to rise from her seat. 

Principal Gutierrez nodded. “I appreciate your time,” he said.

Nini nodded, forced another smile, and then slipped out the door.

Students filtered in and out of classrooms and milled about at their lockers, talking with their friends or tapping at their phones. Nini checked the digital clock in the hallway. Twenty minutes till first period. Plenty of time, she decided, and quickly made her way downstairs. 

She reached Ricky’s classroom and immediately noticed a change. The bulletin board outside had been decorated to look like a playbill, with _Beauty and the Beast_ spelled out, along with the cast list and show dates. 

“Like it?” Ricky asked, emerging from the music room with sheet music in his hand. 

“It’s cute,” Nini nodded. 

“I got it from Pinterest.” There was a twinkle in his eye as he said it, along with a pleased little smirk that almost made Nini forget why she’d come down in the first place. “How was...whatever that was with Gutierrez?” 

_Oh. Right._

“Not good,” Nini sighed, checking the clock again. “It’s about the musical.” 

Ricky looked up and down the hallway, then said, “Maybe we should talk in my office.”

Nini had never been inside the music office before. She had imagined it would look very similar to the rest of the school: white walls, red trim, polished floors. But the office consisted of unpainted wood paneling, an old teacher’s desk, and a pale blue office chair that looked like someone had rolled it down a flight of stairs. Nevertheless, there were some vestiges of Ricky in the room. A guitar propped against the wall behind the chair. A little placard that said “Mr. Bowen” in a whimsical, loopy script. A Philippine flag sitting in the pencil holder on the desk.

“They’re cutting our budget,” Nini said as soon as the door was shut. 

Ricky hadn’t even made it to his desk yet, and he froze in place by the door. “What?” 

“Principal Gutierrez is cutting the musical budget,” she repeated, the words still unbelievable to her own ears. 

“Why?” Ricky questioned sharply. 

Nini offered a defeated shrug. “The scholastic decathlon team got into a big academic bowl and they need the money to compete.”

Ricky was indignant. “Can’t they have a fundraiser or something? You know, sell chocolates or have a bake sale?”

Nini shook her head. “All Principal Gutierrez said was that he was taking some of the budget to help pay for their travel expenses… I don’t know.” She shook her head.

“What?” 

“I just… The other day, I ran into Gina in the parking lot and she kinda blew me off. Like she was mad at me for something. And now the scholastic decathlon team…” 

Ricky held up a hand and chuckled. “Whoa. That’s a pretty heavy conspiracy theory.” 

Nini’s eyes widened. “I wasn’t saying…”

“I know,” Ricky soothed. “I’m sure Gina just asked if her budget could be increased. She probably has no idea where it’s coming from. What’s really messed up is that Gutierrez took the money from us and no one else.”

Nini shrugged helplessly. “We have the biggest budget. I guess it makes sense to take money from ours.” 

“And what’s even more messed up,” Ricky continued, “is that he only told you about it and not me. God, I wish I’d been there.” 

“I’m sorry,” Nini sighed dejectedly, dropping her gaze to the floor and studying the patterns in the tile. 

Ricky furrowed his brow. “It’s not your fault,” he said, tilting his head so that he could look her in the eyes. “You know that, right? Even if I’d been there, he’s the principal. Not like we could’ve changed his mind. Either one of us.” 

She brought her eyes up to meet his. “You’re right,” she managed a small smile. 

Ricky’s expression softened. “We’ll make it work,” he declared. “We’ll figure it out.”

“We have to,” Nini agreed. “The show must go on.” 

Nini glanced at the wall clock and realized she should get to her classroom. Reluctantly, she said goodbye to her co-director. Ricky promised to look at the budget more closely and stop by during their prep period to discuss the results. 

As Nini made her way down the hall, she passed Gina. 

“Hey,” she greeted pleasantly.

“Hey,” Gina returned coolly. 

And then the two women were off in opposite directions once more. Nini paused and stared after Gina’s blazer-clad form retreating down the hall, high heels clicking on the tile. And as much as she tried to shake the feeling, as much as she tried to give the math teacher the benefit of the doubt like Ricky had, she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something off about Gina. 

* * *

As promised, Ricky showed up right at the start of their off period, laptop in hand. “Hey,” he greeted. Nini slid over and cleared room on her desk for him to put the computer down. He dragged a student’s chair over and sat beside her. 

“How’s it looking?” Nini asked, clutching her coffee cup in both hands and wishing she’d ordered a large. 

Ricky winced. “Not great. But we can work with it. Maybe.” 

“Maybe?” 

Ricky showed her his calculations. “It’s gonna take some sacrifice.” 

She glanced at the screen. He had highlighted the items that would need to be cut in red. “Costumes?” Nini said in dismay.

“Unless we have someone who’s handy with a sewing machine, we’re gonna have to do them cheap. Repurpose what we have and maybe hit up a thrift store or something.” 

“And the choreographer?” 

“Yeah, that’s probably the biggest loss,” Ricky admitted. “But I don’t know where we can find a choreographer who’ll do it with the budget we have. I’m hoping we have some students who can dance. Maybe they’ll be able to come up with something. And there’s always YouTube.” 

Nini sighed, looking over the rest of the items on the budget. She had to admit Ricky was right. The other items were critical. They couldn’t run a show without lighting and sound equipment. They couldn’t cut out food expenses when the kids needed to eat. So if they had to resort to student choreographers and YouTube videos, so be it. And if Belle’s golden ball gown turned out to be a yellow sundress from Goodwill, so be it.

* * *

“Knock, knock!” EJ announced, sauntering into the classroom just as the bell rang to signal the start of lunch. Nini looked up, startled. 

“Oh, hey,” she said.

“I come bearing gifts,” her boyfriend said, planting a kiss to the top of her head and producing a bag. “They were out of the salad you like, so it’s a wrap today.” 

“Thanks,” Nini forced a smile, accepting the bag. 

“Everything okay?” EJ frowned.

“Yeah. Yeah, everything’s fine. I’m just...not very hungry right now,” she said, setting the bag to the side of her desk. “I’ll save it for later.” 

EJ leaned against her desk, tipping her head towards him. “What’s going on?” he asked, eyes searching. “You feeling sick?” 

“No, not that,” Nini shook her head. “I had a meeting with Principal Gutierrez this morning.” 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” EJ asked. 

“I was going to,” Nini said. “He called me this morning and I wanted to call and tell you right after. But I ran into Ricky.” 

“Ricky?” EJ repeated, jaw clenching momentarily. 

“Yeah. He walked me in and everything.”

“I see.” 

Nini tried to read the look on EJ’s face, but she’d never seen it before. It wasn’t exactly annoyed. She’d seen him annoyed plenty of times before. And though she’d never truly seen EJ get angry, she suspected that wasn’t it, either. But there was _something_ in his expression. Disappointment? She supposed he was hurt she hadn’t told him right away. Which was fair. She should’ve let him know sooner. She’d promised to work on communicating. 

“I was going to find you this period to tell you,” Nini said, hoping it would make him feel better. His expression softened, but only minutely. 

“What did Gutierrez want?” EJ asked. 

Nini sighed. “He’s cutting the musical budget.”

“What? Why?” All trace of EJ’s mood dissipated, replaced instead by a creased brow and look of surprise.

“The scholastic decathlon team got into a really prestigious academic bowl,” she replied. “They needed more money for travel expenses.”

“Scholastic decathlon, huh?” EJ murmured. His expression darkened. 

“Yeah, but it’s not their fault,” Nini shrugged, parroting Ricky’s point. “Not like Gina could help it, right?” 

EJ forced a laugh. “Right.” 

“It just sucks,” Nini said. “We reworked the budget and we’re losing so much.”

EJ perched on her desk, placing a warm hand on her shoulder. “C’mon, babe. It can’t be all bad, right? I mean, you’re amazing. You’ll figure it out.” 

Nini smiled, acutely aware that it was just a little too tight. “I mean sure. We’ll figure something out. But it sucks that we barely have any money for costumes now.” 

Her boyfriend shrugged and smiled reassuringly. “But that’s not a big deal, right? I mean, you’ve got costumes backstage. I’ve seen them!” 

Nini sighed and tried to remind herself that this was outside of EJ’s wheelhouse. She needed to be patient. Like during the Super Bowl last year, when he’d had to explain what a down was and why touchdowns automatically resulted in a six point gain, but could go up to seven or eight points. 

“I know we have costumes,” she said, “but a lot of them won’t work for our show. And most of the ones that did got thrown out with the sets and props. So we’ll have to make do. And on top of that, we won’t have any money to hire a choreographer.” 

EJ snapped his fingers. “I got it! I could talk to Emily. Her cheerleaders could come up with something.” 

Again, Nini found herself tamping down her impatience. He was trying to be helpful after all. “Babe, cheerleading and dance are two different things. You know that right?” 

“Yeah, but they’re close.” 

“Not really,” she answered, exasperation seeping into her tone. “They’re both super technical, but they’re really, _really_ different.” She had a tough time trying to imagine any universe in which cheerleaders would be able to choreograph a waltz between Belle and the Beast. “Anyway, it’ll be fine. We’ll just have to figure it out.” 

“That’s my girl,” EJ grinned, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “You always think on your feet.” 

“Thanks, babe,” Nini answered, but she could hear her own lack of enthusiasm in her tone. EJ was trying his best to be helpful, and she knew that. But it was still a little frustrating that he couldn’t quite see how big a deal this was. Next to no costume budget? No choreographer? It was like they were asking her to co-direct this show with a blindfold on and one hand tied behind her back. 

* * *

Nini spotted Kourtney’s red Saab pull into the parking lot just after 6:30 and went to unlock the door for her. Her best friend burst into her condo a moment later, dropping her handbag by the door and prying off her high heels. 

“Honey, I’m home!” she declared, opening her arms and folding Nini into a big hug. 

“Thank god,” Nini laughed. “After today, I’m going to need a lot more than a facemask and _The Real Housewives_.”

“Long day?” Kourtney asked.

“You don’t know the half of it,” Nini groaned.

Kourtney trailed her into the living room and plopped down on the plush white couch. “Good thing I brought wine,” she said. 

Nini brought out glasses and a corkscrew and sat down cross-legged in the armchair perpendicular to the couch. Kourtney filled a glass and passed it to her. 

“So tell me about your long day,” Kourtney said once the two had settled into their seats. Nini had turned the TV on but the volume was low. Most times, the TV ended up being background noise for their girls’ nights anyway. 

Nini recounted the meeting with Principal Gutierrez. She told her best friend how the budget cuts would mean sacrificing most of their costume budget and left them without money to afford a choreographer. She left out the part about EJ’s well-intentioned-but-ultimately-unhelpful attempts to fix the problem. 

“Don’t get me started on budget cuts,” Kourtney said when Nini had finished talking. “And it’s all kinds of messed up that they only took the money from your budget. I know you have the most, but you’ve also gotta spend the most. Why couldn’t they take it from, I don’t know, A/V club or something? Pretty sure they haven’t had a single member since 1992.” 

Nini giggled despite herself. “Kourt, c’mon.”

“I’m sorry,” Kourtney threw her hands up in the air. “But Gutierrez is lucky it’s you and not me directing this show. Because I wouldn’t have been so quiet about it. How does he expect you to pull this off?” 

“Ricky ran the numbers,” Nini said. “We can still do it, even without the choreographer and costumes. I guess we’ll just have to use what we have on-hand.” 

“What you have on hand is a bunch of Greaser jackets, some tribal stuff, and that stupid cow costume that you love so much,” Kourtney pointed out.

“Not true!” Nini replied. “We also have feather boas.” 

They stared at each other for a minute before bursting into laughter. 

“But seriously,” Kourtney said after taking a long sip from her glass. “I can help.” 

“How?” Nini asked.

Kourtney grinned. “Are you forgetting who your best friend is? I am _the_ founder and CEO of Kourtney With A K, Salt Lake’s _premiere_ boutique and online fashion retailer. You need costumes? Girl, I’ve got an entire store full of things you can use. And whatever we don’t have, I can make or upcycle. You know I’m a beast with a sewing machine.” 

“But Kourt, we don’t have the money. We can’t pay you.”

“I’m not asking to be paid! Business is good, Nini. I don’t need the money.” 

“I can’t ask you to do this for us,” Nini shook her head. 

Kourtney set her glass down on the coffee table. “Look at me," she said, leveling her gaze directly at her best friend. “You’re not asking. I’m telling. I wanna give back to my alma mater! East High made me what I am today.” 

“I thought UC Berkeley did that,” Nini grinned. 

“Yeah, but East High prepared me for Berkeley. Besides, people love a local philanthropist who gives back to her community.” 

Nini turned it over in her head. She didn’t want to say yes, because she somehow felt like she was cheating her best friend. Or at least taking advantage of her, which was something she’d sworn never to do. She paid full price for every item she ever bought at the boutique. But Kourtney was right. She was a beast with a sewing machine, and she could make just about anything look amazing. If she was offering to do the costumes for the show, could she really turn her down? 

“Fine,” Nini relented. She locked eyes with her best friend. “Thank you, Kourt. Seriously. You have no idea how much this helps.” 

* * *

“So yeah, now we’re working with next to no money for costumes or choreography. And who knows what else could happen,” Ricky finished.

“Damn, dude. Between this and all those sets going missing, it sounds like your play is cursed,” Big Red replied.

They were spread out in the living room, Ricky sitting sideways in the overstuffed recliner while Red reclined horizontally on the brown leather couch. Halfpipe lay on his side on the nearby rug, dozing. 

“Dude, don’t say that,” Ricky said. “I’m kinda hoping nothing else goes wrong. As it is, we’re basically gonna have to teach these kids dances from YouTube videos. We’ll be lucky if the finale doesn’t include Fortnight dancing.” 

“Sounds like you really need more money,” Big Red mused aloud.

“Yeah, well I don’t think that’s gonna happen,” Ricky replied. “I could barely come up with the cash to fix my brakes last month. So unless Nini’s secretly a millionaire, we’re kinda screwed if anything else goes wrong.” 

Tight budgets were nothing new to Ricky. After his parents’ divorce, both his mom and his dad had tightened up on spending. Losing a second income had hit both of them hard, and he had tried hard to minimize how much either had to spend on him. He could work to a budget. And if it meant they had to give up some things here and there, it would all be worth it in the end. The show had to go on. 

“What if you’re not screwed, though? What if you could still have some of those things?” Big Red asked slowly. 

Ricky flicked his gaze over to his roommate. “What do you mean?” 

A slow smile spread across Red’s face. “I mean, what if some generous local business were to sponsor the production. It might help you get back some of the budget you lost.” 

“Dude, no,” Ricky said adamantly.

“Aw c’mon,” Red protested. “I just landed the Salt Lake Skate Championship contract. I’m gonna be supplying tons of boards and gear to the competitors. Business is gonna be booming. I know the crossover between skaters and theater kids isn’t exactly huge, but you’re my best friend and I wanna help.” 

Ricky smiled. Big Red was a good dude. Like a _seriously_ good dude. And probably the greatest best friend to ever live. But the skate shop had only just started to become profitable. He couldn’t rob his best friend like that. 

“I appreciate it, man. Seriously. But if you wanna help, we’re selling ad space in the playbill. Maybe just buy an ad?” 

Big Red nodded as if he had anticipated this. “Sure thing, dude. How much are ads?”

“Full-page ads are a hundred bucks, half-pages are fifty, and quarter pages are thirty five,” Ricky said. 

Red continued to nod. “Right, right. And how many pages of ads are you running?”

“I dunno,” Ricky shrugged. “Probably about seven or eight.” 

“Perfect. I’ll take eight full-page ads,” Big Red grinned.

Ricky opened his mouth to protest, but his roommate cut him off. 

“You said if I wanted to help, I should buy ad space. So I’m buying ad space,” he shrugged. “Should I write you guys a check or do you guys take Venmo or…?” 

Ricky couldn’t help but launch himself at his best friend, wrapping the redhead up in an ecstatic hug. “Dude, you’re the best!”   
  
  
  



	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So by now, I'm sure almost everyone in the fandom is aware that the second season production is actually going to be "Beauty and the Beast." I was beyond excited when I found out, mainly because it makes it look like I'm psychic. I'm not. It was just a lucky guess. But anyway, I digress. Here's chapter 8. Still looking to rework the early chapters now that I'm back in a flow. Nothing about the plot points will change. I'm mainly just trying to polish it up so that I'm happier with my work. I appreciate all the love in the form of reading, kudos, and comments.

Ricky had just finished feeding Halfpipe when his phone started to beep. The dog stuck his entire face into his bowl, snorting and chomping noisily as Ricky snatched his phone off the counter, half-expecting it to be Big Red calling to say he’d forgotten something vital for his allergist appointment. Instead, he was startled to see an incoming FaceTime from Nini. He had planned to text her later in the day to tell her the good news about Red buying all their ad spaces. He ran a hand through his curls, hoping the bedhead wasn’t too noticeable before hitting accept. 

“Hey!” Nini chirped, her face popping into view on the screen. She looked entirely too put-together for a Saturday morning. Her hair was straight - or at least brushed, which was more than Ricky could say - and she appeared to be wearing makeup. 

“Hey,” Ricky said. “Everything okay?”

“Better than okay! I think I solved our budget problem. Or part of it at least,” Nini said, occasionally glancing off to the side. He could tell from the shaky camera and moving background that she was out somewhere, walking. 

“Really?” Ricky asked. “Because I was actually going to tell you the same thing.” 

Nini’s eyes flicked back to his on the screen. “Wait, seriously?”

He nodded eagerly. “Yeah!”

Nini looked around. “Okay, well I’m at the farmers market in Pioneer Park right now. There’s a coffee shop a block from here. Maybe we can meet and talk about it? There’s a lot to go over.” 

“I can’t,” Ricky sighed. “I’m dogsitting.” He glanced at Halfpipe, who had finished wolfing down his breakfast and now turned to him with sad eyes, pleading for more. 

“You didn’t tell me you had a dog!” Nini exclaimed. 

“Yeah,” Ricky said, flipping the camera around so that she could see the half-pug, half-bulldog plodding around the kitchen. “He’s more my roommate’s dog than mine, but we both take care of him.” 

Ricky flipped the camera back. “But my roommate’s getting patch tested today…” 

Nini scrunched her nose up. “Oh.” 

“Yeah, long story,” Ricky laughed. “So I’m stuck here for a while. Unless…” 

“Unless what?” 

Ricky hesitated. The idea was spur-of-the-moment, and he had to ponder whether it was even appropriate to ask. Were he and Nini technically friends yet? Or were they still in that awkward gray area between coworker and friend? Could he invite her over without it being weird? “Well, unless you wanted to come here. We could talk about everything. Go over the new budget. Stuff like that.” 

Nini paused for a moment and Ricky immediately began kicking himself. Clearly they  _ weren’t  _ friendly enough for that to be an okay thing to ask, and now he’d have to endure the rest of the musical - and the rest of the year - living with that mortification. 

“Yeah, I could totally come over,” Nini said. “Are you sure your roommate won’t mind?” 

“Are you kidding? Of course he won’t,” Ricky chuckled. 

“Cool. Then let me finish up here and I’ll head over?” 

“Yeah, sounds good,” Ricky replied, unable to stop the grin that spread across his face. 

There was a pause. Then Nini added, “It, uh, might help if you gave me your address or…” 

“Right,” Ricky answered too quickly.  _ Idiot!  _ “I live off 7th. The apartment’s right above a skate shop. You can’t miss it.” 

“Great,” Nini smiled. “I’ll be there in twenty.” 

They hung up and Ricky found himself smiling at the darkened screen for a moment.  _ Shit!  _ The realization dawned on him that she would be there in twenty minutes, and neither he nor Big Red had actually cleaned the apartment in weeks. He glanced around at the state of the living room. Not terrible, but not in any shape to receive company. Blankets were strewn over the couch and armchairs from all the times one (or both) of them had fallen asleep in the living room. A few empty cans of energy drinks cluttered the coffee table, along with a days-old pizza box that Halfpipe had cleaned the crumbs out of. He gathered as much as he could and deposited it in the garbage can, then scrambled for the vacuum cleaner and ran it over the rug a few times. 

He pulled out his phone and texted Big Red. 

_ Hey, dude. Good luck at the allergist today. Hope they find out what’s causing that rash. Also heads up, someone’s coming over.  _

Big Red replied in moments. 

_ Ooooh. No worries dude. I gotchu. Just put a sock over the door knob if you don’t wanna be interrupted.  _ Winky emoji.

Ricky groaned aloud. 

_ Dude. It’s not like that. It’s just Nini. My co-director. She’s coming over to talk about the show. If she’s still here when you get back just please be normal? _

_ Ricky, my man. Normal’s not in my vocabulary. _

Ricky put his phone down and sighed, then gathered up the blankets and deposited them in the hamper. He turned to Halfpipe. “We’re having a visitor,” he told the dog, who cocked his head as he spoke. “I know manners aren’t your specialty,” Ricky continued, “but please try not to embarrass me. Can you do that?” Halfpipe made no answer. “Can you please be nice?” The dog looked at Ricky a moment longer, then huffed and flopped down on the freshly-vacuumed rug. Ricky took that for an affirmative and raced to the bathroom, brushing his hair and teeth simultaneously to save time. He ditched his pajama pants and pulled on a pair of jeans and a hoodie just as the doorbell rang. He buttoned his jeans and opened the apartment door, taking the steep steps two at a time until he reached the exterior door that led to the driveway and opened it. 

Nini stood before him, dressed in a light pink sweater and jeans, her hair held back by a white headband. She smiled at him. “Hi,” she said.

“Hey,” Ricky replied, suddenly nervous and shy. He realized he was blocking the doorway and stood to one side. “Uh, c’mon in.” 

He led Nini up the stairs and into the apartment as Halfpipe barreled up to her, his tail a blur as he planted his front paws on her thighs and leapt repeatedly to leave wet kisses on her face.

“Halfpipe! Halfpipe, get off,” Ricky tried futilely to drag the dog off his co-director as Nini giggled and rubbed the dog’s side. 

“Oh my goodness,” she said, her voice going up two octaves as the dog continued to jump at her excitedly. “You’re such a good boy,” she said. 

Ricky finally succeeded in pulling Halfpipe off the besieged woman, holding the creature back by his collar as he strained, trying to bestow more affection on Nini. “Sorry about that,” Ricky said. “He’s just a little excited.” 

“I can see,” Nini laughed, using her sleeve to wipe the dog’s drool off her face.

“Yeah. It’s not too often that a girl comes by.” 

Nini quirked a brow. “Oh, is that so?” 

Ricky could feel his face heating up and he was positive his cheeks were glowing red. He wanted to sink into the floor, collapse into the skate shop below, and then sink through that floor into the earth itself. Maybe the molten lava at the core would melt him down and reshape him into something less idiotic. 

“That’s, uh, not what I meant…” he stammered, though he was painfully aware that it was a lame excuse. Besides, no matter how Nini had taken it, it was an accurate statement. Neither he nor Big Red brought a girl back to the apartment very often for any reason. The apartment was a bachelor pad, and both of its bachelor residents were going through a cold stretch. 

“Relax, I’m just messing with you,” Nini giggled. “I know what you meant.” 

Ricky let out a puff of breath, his shoulders relaxing with the motion. 

“Your place is nice,” Nini commented, taking in the living room with its brown leather sofa and somewhat-matching armchairs. The skate shop had once been some sort of industrial space. A warehouse, most likely, though neither Ricky nor Big Red had ever considered it much. The apartment had tall ceilings, big windows, and exposed brick that made the furniture look like a conscious design choice rather than the leftovers from Big Red’s parents’ basement. 

“Thanks,” Ricky said. “My roommate actually owns the skate shop downstairs.” 

“That’s so cool,” Nini said, her gaze still flitting about the room. Ricky followed her eyes, searching for any uncleaned messes or embarrassing items left out in the open. He was pretty sure he’d gotten everything, but he could never be totally sure with Big Red. 

Satisfied that his cursory clean had been enough, he dropped down into one of the leather armchairs and let Nini have the couch. “You said you had good news?” 

“Yeah! So my best friend Kourtney is this  _ amazingly  _ talented fashion designer. She has her own label and everything. And when I told her about our budget issues, she offered to take over costumes for free.” 

Ricky’s eyes widened. A legitimate fashion designer taking over wardrobe for the show was a dream come true. “For real?” 

“For real. Now what was your good news?” 

Ricky grinned. “Well you’re not the only one with an awesome best friend. I told my roommate about the budget cut and he decided to buy up every available ad space in the playbill.” 

It was Nini’s turn to stare, wide-eyed as Ricky recounted the conversation he’d had with Big Red that ultimately led up to the purchase of eight full-page ad spreads. 

Her phone buzzed and she glanced down at it, tapping out a text momentarily before returning her full attention to Ricky. “What about other advertisers, though? There’s usually a few other local businesses that like to sponsor the musical.” 

Ricky shrugged. “Then I guess we’ll have to add a couple more pages of ads to the playbill.” 

“Which means we recoup more of our budget,” Nini pointed out. 

“Which means we’re back on track!” 

It didn’t take long for Ricky to pull out his binder and notes for the show, and Nini accessed her Google Drive on her phone to find hers. She showed him several staging concepts she’d found (on Pinterest, of course), as well as concepts for the iconic gold ball gown that Kourtney would try to recreate. 

And with the budget securely on-track once more, it didn’t feel futile to dream.

They spent a few hours in the living room, scribbling ideas and making crude sketches on paper to add to Ricky’s rapidly growing binder, pausing occasionally to watch YouTube videos of other schools’ productions, which inevitably led them down a rabbit hole of “Be Our Guest” renditions.

“Okay, so honest question,” Nini said when they’d finished watching an unintentionally comedic performance by a school in North Dakota. 

“Anything,” Ricky sat up. 

“Favorite musical?” 

“Ooh,” he thought for a moment. “This is gonna sound so bad coming from a music teacher  _ and  _ co-director of the school musical, but I actually didn’t really like musicals until college.”

“Really?” Nini asked.

“Yeah, it just was never really my thing.”

“What converted you?” she asked. 

Ricky shrugged. Any number of things converted him. The countless shows he’d attended because his high school girlfriend was in them. The endless vocal arrangements he’d done to pass midterms and finals, usually incorporating a piece from a musical or two because they were ubiquitous and generally got the audience enthused. Attending one or two shows in college because his fellow music majors had managed to drag him. The one time Big Red had to watch  _ Singin’ in the Rain  _ for his film class and Ricky had kept him company. 

“I guess I started seeing more shows and eventually figured out that they weren’t so bad.” 

Nini couldn’t resist ribbing him a little. “I bet your girlfriend had a hand in that.”

“Hey now,” Ricky grinned good-naturedly. “Thought we were gonna leave that alone.” 

“Sorry,” his co-director apologized gently, but the grin on her face lingered just a little longer. “I’m glad you finally saw the light.” Ricky quirked a brow. “About musicals, I mean,” she added quickly.

“What’s your favorite?” he asked.

“You mean besides  _ Beauty and the Beast _ ?”

Ricky rolled his eyes playfully.

“I’ve always loved  _ The Music Man _ ,” Nini finally admitted. “I went to drama camp one summer and I was the understudy for Marian.” 

“Did you get to go on for her?” 

Nini shook her head. “No. But I got to be part of the chorus, so it wasn’t all bad. I learned a lot.” 

“You were pretty involved in theater in high school, huh?” Ricky noted.

“I wouldn’t say I was that  _ involved _ , really,” Nini answered. “I mean, you know. I wasn’t exactly a star or anything.”

“Still counts for something,” Ricky answered. “I barely did anything in high school besides hang out at the skatepark.” 

“How’d you end up teaching music, then?” Nini questioned. 

Ricky shifted in his seat. “Honestly? After my parents divorced, I started teaching myself to play guitar. Just to give myself something to do, you know? Especially after I moved to Chicago with my mom. I didn’t know what I wanted to do after high school but listening to music and playing guitar always helped me. So I figured I may as well bring that to other kids, too. I mean, if I can be a musician, so can anyone else, right?”  __

“Is that why you went to the Philippines, too?” Nini asked. 

“Sort of,” Ricky replied. “But I also didn’t really know what I was gonna do after graduation. All I knew was that I didn’t want to go back to Chicago or out to Denver. And I’d always wanted to travel a bit. So, two birds with one stone,” he shrugged. “And it ended up being the second-best experience of my life.”

“Second best?” 

“Well obviously coming to East High and co-directing the musical is the first,” Ricky said, and while his tone could easily be written-off as half-joking, he hoped that some of the sincerity carried through. It was Nini’s turn to roll her eyes, but he thought he caught Nini blushing ever-so-slightly. “Anyway,” he changed the topic, “how about you? How’d you become an English teacher?” 

Nini laughed. “I feel like I was always meant to be an English teacher, honestly. I just really loved books, you know? Like, I used to skip gym and hang out with my AP lit teacher.” 

“No way!” Ricky dropped his jaw exaggeratedly. 

“Yes way! I was so lame,” she said. 

“But you and EJ…” his voice trailed off. He’d sworn not to bring EJ up because as irritating as the coach could be, he was still Nini’s boyfriend and he clearly made her happy. 

Nini glanced at her phone subconsciously. “It wasn’t like that in school,” she said. “I mean, EJ and I knew each other, of course. But we didn’t date until we were coworkers. He was actually the one who told me East High was hiring, and he put in a good word with Principal Gutierrez after I applied. He’s basically the reason I have the job in the first place…”

“C’mon,” Ricky protested. “Give yourself some credit. I’m sure you would’ve gotten the job with or without EJ.” 

“I don’t know. East High is a tough school to get hired in…”

“But it’s possible,” he pointed out. “I mean, they hired me, didn’t they? Unless,” he added slyly, “EJ secretly has a thing for me and put in a good word, too.” 

Nini laughed.

“I’m totally kidding,” Ricky said. “Besides, I don’t think EJ likes me very much anyway…” He winced internally as soon as the words left his lips because he’d  _ sworn  _ to himself that he wouldn’t bring it up. It wasn’t Nini’s problem.

“No,” Nini protested immediately. “No, don’t say that. He does like you! He likes you a lot.” 

Even Ricky could sense that the words were hollow, but he did his best to look cheered up anyway. The key entering the lock interrupted both of their thoughts and a moment later, Big Red entered the apartment. Halfpipe launched himself at the redhead. 

“You’re back!” Ricky exclaimed, half-surprised and half-disappointed that he and Nini were no longer alone. Had they really been talking that long? 

“Wait a minute, your roommate is  _ Big Red _ ?” Nini sat up straighter on the couch. 

Red smiled at her. “The name of the shop didn’t give it away? It’s not very creative.” 

She smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand. “I can’t believe I didn’t put two and two together. Ricky, Big Red and I were in the same graduating class! I had no idea…” 

“Yeah,” Ricky chuckled. “Small world.” 

Red stood up from where he’d bent down to pet Halfpipe. “Anyway,” he drew the word out. “I’m, uh, sure you guys have a ton of work to do. And you probably wanna be alone. So I’m, uh, just gonna…” he jerked his head in the direction of his bedroom. “You kids have fun! Nini, good to see you.” And without another word, the redhead herded Halfpipe off to his room. 

Ricky cringed with each increasingly awkward syllable his roommate uttered, but all things considered, he supposed Big Red had been as chill as possible about the whole thing. “Sorry about that,” he cleared his throat once his roommate’s door was shut. 

“Don’t be,” Nini said. “Big Red’s cool. Are you sure he doesn’t want to hang out? I feel bad trapping him in his room.” 

“Nah, he’s fine,” Ricky said. As much as he loved Big Red, he was certain that his roommate would have inadvertently made it awkward if he hung around any longer. “You hungry?” He had only just realized it was well past lunchtime. 

They ended up ordering a pizza - soy cheese, so Big Red wouldn’t be left out - and spent the next few hours talking, the stage notes and binder long since abandoned on the coffee table. Ricky learned that Nini’s mothers - she had two - both worked in the Salt Lake City area, that her grandmother was a psychologist who immigrated from the Philippines, and that she had been living with all three women until last year. He discovered that many of the people they worked with - people he had assumed all knew each other for years - had only really become her friends after she started working at East High despite having attended the school during the same time period. 

He volunteered a little more about his past in return, explaining that he’d grown up in Ogden until his parents’ divorce. At that point, faced with the choice of moving out to Denver with his dad or Chicago with his mom, he’d chosen Chicago. There were no good options, but he’d believed he would be happiest with his mother. It wasn’t until years later that he learned her infidelity had been the catalyst that ended his parents’ marriage. 

By the time the conversation ran out, it was well past sundown. Reluctantly, Nini announced that she should go and Ricky walked her to the door. 

“Hey, Ricky?” she turned around in the open doorway. “Thanks. For everything. All your work on the musical. And for sharing with me.”

He smiled softly. “Yeah. Thank you, too. For everything.” 

There was a moment’s hesitation, and then Nini hugged him. It was a small, quick gesture. A thing between friends. But for a brief moment, she wrapped her arms loosely around Ricky’s midsection and pressed her body against his, and he had just enough time to put one arm around her before she let go, offered him a final smile, and then headed for the stairs with a promise to finalize their staging concepts now that the budget was back on track.

Ricky watched her as she retreated down the stairs and out the door. When he shut it and turned around, he found Big Red standing in the entrance to his bedroom. 

“Well?” his best friend asked, a broad grin on his face, but Ricky could only answer with a smile.

* * *

EJ watched from his car as Nini left the building. He had known. He had known that something was wrong from the minute he had seen the car in the driveway of Big Red’s Skate Shop, parked directly behind a yellow SUV that looked suspiciously similar to Ricky’s. He reread the text from Nini.

_ Hey babe! Sorry. Ricky and I are discussing the play. Probably won’t be free tonight. _

He pounded the steering wheel with his hand as he watched Nini back out of the driveway and pull off down the street. Discussing the play? On a Saturday? At Ricky’s  _ apartment _ ? He wasn’t sure if Nini mistook him for an idiot or just thought he was blind. Tears pressed at the back of his eyes and a tight knot formed in his throat. EJ Caswell was not a man who cried easily, and yet he could feel the urge welling up inside of him and he willed himself not to break down.

_ It’s all a misunderstanding. Nini wouldn’t cheat. Nini wouldn’t do that to you. Nini’s  _ not  _ that type of girl.  _

But then why was she at Ricky’s place? And why had she neglected to mention that little detail to him? And why was she there for so long? He wouldn’t have even known if he hadn’t spotted her car (it was a very distinctive shade of blue, he reasoned) while out running errands. It wasn’t like he was actively looking for his girlfriend. But Nini was a creature of habit, and she always went to Pioneer Park for the farmers market on Saturdays. And if he happened to be buying fruit at the same time and they bumped into each other? Maybe they could have a movie date or something. 

But Nini hadn’t been at Pioneer Park. Because she was too busy at Ricky’s. And he never would have known had he not stumbled upon her car parked off 7th. Even then, he’d tried to convince himself it was a mistake. That it was some other bright blue Ford Focus that happened to have the same license plate as Nini’s. He  _ needed  _ it to be a mistake. And then he saw his girlfriend leaving her co-director’s apartment after dark.

EJ scrolled through his contacts, hovering over Gina’s name and momentarily debating whether or not to call her. Gina was slippery and he definitely didn’t trust her. But it was also becoming clear that she was much smarter at this game than he was. She’d called every play so far. And if there was one thing EJ knew from coaching, it was that you never turned down the expertise of someone with more experience. EJ Caswell played to win, and if that meant bringing in a pro, then so be it. Besides, it wasn’t like any of his friends would understand. Hell, half of them were probably cheating on their significant others anyway.

The call dialed out and the phone rang once. Twice. Three times. 

“Hello?” 

“Gina?” EJ hated the way his voice cracked slightly and hoped she couldn’t hear how close he was to tears. 

“EJ,” Gina’s voice was silky and he could almost picture the way the corners of her mouth turned upward whenever he reached out to her. It only served to remind him just how much of a sucker he was. And how much she was aware of this fact.

“You gotta help me,” he said, wincing at how pathetic he sounded even to his own ears. “I’m spiraling.” 

“About what?” Gina queried, and he almost mistook the tone in her voice for sincere care.

“This is gonna sound bad. But I swear it’s not as bad as it sounds.” 

“I don’t judge.” 

“It’s about Nini and Ricky. I don’t know. I swear I’m not like a stalker or anything. But I saw her leaving his apartment.” He left out the part about having staked the place out for nearly forty-five minutes, warring with himself over whether or not it was a big deal. Whether or not to call her out or barge in there. Gina didn’t need any more ammo against him. 

There was a long sigh on the other end of the line. “What do you want me to say, EJ?” 

“Tell me it’s a mistake. Tell me I’m being an idiot. Tell me it’s not what it looks like. That they aren’t having an affair. That Nini isn’t cheating on me with her punk-ass co-director.” 

“Okay. Nini’s not having an affair with Ricky.” Gina’s voice was flat and unconvincing. 

“Why don’t I believe you?” 

“Because I can’t say it to you honestly,” she answered. “I’m sorry, EJ. But I warned you.” 

EJ’s heart sank. He had known, of course. It would’ve been obvious to anyone. But some small part of him had been hoping that Gina could convince him otherwise. For the first time, he broke and let a tear spill over. His throat constricted. His voice sounded tight. “What can I do? Because I can’t lose Nini.” And even as he said it, he derided himself for groveling. 

There was a pause. And then Gina spoke slowly and deliberately. “I have a plan. It’s a bit extreme, but desperate times call for desperate measures, right? If you want to get Nini back, you’re going to have to trust me and do everything I say, exactly as I say. This won’t work unless you hold up your end.”

EJ drew in a shaky breath. “I’m listening.” 

* * *

“You were out late,” Kourtney commented. She had come over as soon as she’d spotted Nini’s car in the parking lot, eager to share some ideas for costume designs. 

“Yeah, I was at Ricky’s.” 

Kourtney dropped the sketch she’d been holding up. “Ricky as in your co-director? You were at his place?” 

Nini nodded, lifting one of Kourtney’s drawings from the dining table and scrutinizing it closely, pretending not to notice the incredulous look her best friend was giving her. 

“How was that?” her best friend asked. 

A ghost of a smile crossed Nini’s face, brief but noticeable. “It was...nice. I had fun. Got to know him better.” 

“What was that?” Kourtney prodded.

“What was what?” 

“That  _ look _ ,” the fashion designer elaborated. “I’ve seen that look before.” 

“What look?” 

“The look on your face when you were talking about him. It was the same one I saw on your face every time you mentioned EJ before you two got together. You go all starry-eyed and dreamy.” 

“That’s so not true!” Nini protested, a bit more forcefully than she’d intended. She’d been processing her feelings the entire drive home and still hadn’t gotten to the bottom of them. Ricky was sweet and sensitive and funny and warm, yes. But he was her co-director. EJ was her boyfriend, and he was loyal, steadfast, and generous. She would count Ricky Bowen among her friends now, and he was definitely close friend material. So why did she keep blushing every time he said something?

“Is he cute?” 

“Is who cute?” 

“Your co-director! Ricky! Is he cute?” Kourtney pressed.

“I-I guess?” Nini shrugged, pulling out her phone and opening Instagram. “Here, see for yourself.” She didn’t want to admit that she’d already searched for Ricky’s social media, found his Instagram, and was trying to work up the nerve to follow him. Had they reached that stage yet? 

Kourtney took the phone and scrolled through the photos. 

“Do  _ not  _ like anything,” Nini warned her. 

“Would I do you like that?” Kourtney huffed, using her long, manicured nail to scroll through the images. There weren’t any recent shots, but he had posted a few times from Manila. Some classroom shots with elementary schoolers gathered around him, an acoustic guitar in his hands. A couple of touristy images from his first days in the country. Going back further, she found a few photos and some skateboarding videos from what she assumed were his college days. In every image, he wore the same lopsided smile. “Alright, okay,” Kourtney said when she had scrolled all the way back in his timeline. “I see what you see.” 

“What I see?” Nini repeated. 

“Yeah, I mean he’s cute. Kinda boyish. Nice hair. Clearly you have a type...” 

“That’s not what this is, Kourt! Ricky and I were working on staging concepts for the show. Now that you’re helping with wardrobe and his best friend bought up all our ad space, we have the money. That’s all. Strictly professional.” 

“There’s nothing wrong with window shopping, you know,” Kourtney answered, not bothering to dignify Nini’s protestations. “As long as you’re not buying the same thing from two different stores. Feel me?” 

“No,” Nini shook her head. “Not really.” 

Kourtney sighed. “Okay, so the boy’s cute. Acknowledge it and move on. The more you try to deny it, the worse it’s gonna get. And remember, it’s not cheating if you find someone else attractive. It’s only cheating if you act on it.” 

“I don’t know if I find him attractive, though,” Nini countered. “Yeah, he’s got a cute smile and nice hair and good singing voice…” 

Kourtney fixed her a look.

“Okay, so maybe he’s a  _ little  _ attractive,” Nini admitted finally. “But I’m with EJ.” 

“You think EJ has never once found another woman attractive since you started dating?” Kourtney asked. “Of course he has! But he’s loyal to you!” 

Nini sighed. Maybe her best friend had a point. Maybe her expectations were too high. Perhaps it was unrealistic to believe that she’d fall in love and never again have eyes for another person. But what were the rules here? Should she tell EJ in the spirit of transparency? How mortifying would that be? Should she distance herself from Ricky when they were just now becoming close? Should she drop out of the musical altogether and leave him high and dry to stage the whole thing himself?

“Nini, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing,” Kourtney said gently. “You can find other men attractive and stay just friends. You can work with Ricky for the next twenty years, think he’s cute every single day, and go about your life. Stop holding yourself to an impossible standard.”

Nini groaned. Kourtney was right. Of course Kourtney was right. And deep down, she knew she was being dumb to worry so much about this. If she’d said she found Zac Efron attractive, she was certain nobody would have second-guessed it. So why was it such a big deal that she sometimes thought Ricky had a nice smile, or liked the way his hair curled?

“EJ’s so good to me, Kourt. I love him. I really do. I just don’t want to do anything to make him upset.” 

“He’s not gonna be upset,” Kourtney replied. “Just remember who you’re coming home to at the end of the day,” she advised.

Nini wanted to remind Kourtney that at the end of the day, she wasn’t coming home to EJ, or to Ricky, or to anyone but herself. At the end of the day, she was coming home to her condo, with its abundance of throw pillows and its fluffy rugs and a yellowing houseplant perched atop a dusty keyboard. But she simply nodded, turned back to the sketches spread out across the dining table, and murmured, “You’re right.” 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recovering from surgery sucks, but at least I had time to crank this chapter out. I apologize in advance for any mistakes. Like I said, I'm recovering from an operation and I wrote this pretty much stream-of-consciousness. I did my best to edit before posting. As always, thank you so much for reading, and your kudos and comments mean the world!

“Ms. Salazar-Roberts?” 

Nini looked up from her desk to find a red-haired girl standing in the doorway of her classroom. “Abby!” the teacher greated, rising from her seat and making her way eagerly toward the lead of the play. “Come in. What’s going on?”

Abby stepped two feet into the room and then stopped, twisting her coppery locks in her hands subconsciously. Nini slowed her pace as she approached. 

“I, uh, I need to talk to you,” Abby said, but made no move to continue. 

“Okay. Of course,” Nini said, her voice moving two octaves higher involuntarily. She tried to keep her face neutral as she fell back on all the sensitivity training she’d gone through while preparing to teach. Don’t seem too animated. Don’t crowd the student. Speak evenly and gently, and let them know that you’re here for them. “Whatever you need, you can tell me,” she added.

Abby sucked her bottom lip between her teeth, her green eyes flitting about the classroom as if she were debating whether to say anything at all. “Ms. Salazar-Roberts, I don’t want to disappoint you… But I have to drop out.” 

“Drop out?” Nini repeated, the words not quite registering. 

“Of the play,” Abby clarified. “I… Some things came up. I’m really sorry. I really, really wanted to be able to do this but I can’t. So I guess… Thank you for giving me a lead. I’m sorry I won’t be able to go on for Belle.” 

Nini furrowed her brow. “Sweetie, is everything alright?” she asked. The play was the furthest thing from her mind in that moment. For anyone to drop out of a production was a big deal. For a lead to drop? Well, something catastrophic must have happened.

“Y-yes,” Abby said, turning away from the teacher. “I’m okay. I just can’t do the play anymore.” 

“Abby, it’s fine,” Nini said gently, trying to coax the teenager into turning around. “Really. We have understudies for that very reason. But is there anything you want to talk about? Is there anything you need?” 

Abby shook her head, and for a moment it looked like she was trying to hold back tears. “No. Thank you. Really. You’re the best. And I’m sorry. Will you let Mr. Bowen know?” 

Nini nodded. “Of course, Abby. Don’t worry about us. We’ll figure it out. But if there’s anything you need, my door is always open for you. Mr. Bowen’s too,” she added, knowing full well Ricky would have said the same. 

Abby nodded, forced a tight smile as she hazarded a glance back at her drama teacher, and then went out into the hall. Nini checked the time. Ten minutes until the first bell. She briefly considered running over to the guidance counselor and asking her to check in on Abby, but her train of thought was interrupted by a blond-haired boy tapping on the doorframe. 

“Elijah,” Nini brightened, recognizing the Beast. Kourtney had griped about how difficult it would be to make the boy look terrifying when he was blessed with movie-star looks. At least his transformation back into the prince would require little effort.

“Hey, Ms. S,” Elijah began. Ordinarily, Nini chafed at anyone abbreviating her name. It was essentially erasing one of her moms. But Elijah always possessed just enough charisma and earnest good intention to somehow get away with it. His tone was uncharacteristically apologetic now, though, and it set her on edge immediately. 

“What’s wrong?” Nini asked. 

“It’s about the play…”

Her heart skipped a beat, but she forced a pleasant smile. There was no reason to panic yet, she reminded herself. And she didn’t want to upset her cast members, especially if Abby hadn’t told her friends she was dropping the show yet. “Of course. What’s up?” 

Elijah took two steps further into the room, his hand rubbing the back of his neck hesitantly. “I, uh…” 

Nini’s heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. She knew that look. It was the same look Abby had given her mere minutes earlier. And as much as she tried to tell herself that she shouldn’t jump to conclusions, this didn’t seem like very far of a leap. 

“I have to quit the show,” Elijah finally said. “I’m sorry, Ms. S. I really am. But I can’t keep up with this, and with school, and with everything else…” The teen hung his head in shame and Nini swallowed whatever emotions had welled up inside her. 

“It’s okay,” she said, though her voice sounded foreign to her own ears. “I understand. Your wellbeing is priority one, and school is right behind that. Don’t worry about it, okay?” 

Elijah nodded, but there was still a twinge of guilt on his face. 

Nini offered him an encouraging smile. “We’ll be fine, I promise,” she reassured him. 

“Thanks, Ms. S.,” Elijah murmured as he made his way out of the classroom. 

Nini shut the door behind him and sank into her desk chair, releasing a puff of breath. She ran a frustrated hand down her face and debated texting Ricky immediately to let him know, or waiting until she could see him in person.

As it turned out, she didn’t have to do either. Her curly-haired co-director materialized in her doorway as if on-cue. 

“Hey,” he said breathlessly, as if he’d run up the stairs. His dark eyes were wide and he seemed a little pale. “Bad news.”

“I swear to god, if you tell me you’re dropping out, too,” Nini said.

“How’d you find out?” Ricky asked, confused, and Nini felt her heart stop for a solid few seconds.

“What do you mean?” she cried.

“Did Katie and Morgan already talk to you?” he asked.

Nini frowned. “No… Did Abby and Elijah talk to you?”

“No,” Ricky said slowly. 

“They had to drop the show,” Nini said.

Ricky’s eyes widened. “So did Katie and Morgan. That’s what I came to tell you.” 

“What?” Nini fell back against her chair. “Tell me you’re kidding.”

“I’m not,” Ricky said softly, crossing over to Nini’s desk and perching on the end of it. “Are you?”

His co-director shook her head. “They came to talk to me this morning.”

“Did they say why they had to drop?”

“Abby said it was for personal reasons, but she didn’t specify. Elijah said he needs to focus on school. What about Katie and Morgan?” 

Ricky shrugged. “Pretty much the same. More school responsibilities. Katie’s visiting colleges and auditioning for schools…” 

“I can’t believe it,” Nini said softly. They had just gotten their budget back on track and now, in the span of less than twenty minutes, they’d lost their Belle, Beast, Gaston, and Mrs. Potts. 

“It’s weird,” Ricky admitted. 

“Do you think we’re cursed?” Nini asked. She felt like an idiot the second the words left her lips, but she hadn’t been able to escape the feeling.

“Why would we be cursed?” Ricky entertained the idea briefly.

Nini shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe someone said good luck instead of break a leg. Or maybe someone mentioned MacBeth in the auditorium.” 

“Maybe,” Ricky nodded. “Or, maybe they just have a lot on their plates. I mean you and I know. It wasn’t too long ago that we were in high school. We ask so much of these kids…” 

“Maybe we ask too much?” Nini suggested.

“It might be a good idea to scale back on the intensity of rehearsals for a bit.” 

“How are we gonna even have a rehearsal?” Nini asked, slumping back in her seat. “We just lost all of our leads.” 

Ricky leaned over so that she was forced to look him in the eye. “Nini? It’s going to be fine, okay? We have understudies. That’s what they’re for.” 

“I know,” Nini sighed. She was being ridiculous. She knew she was being ridiculous. She of all people should know a thing or two about understudies, after all. But the understudies they’d found couldn’t compare to the all-star cast they’d originally assembled. “We haven’t really given the understudies much rehearsal time,” she pointed out. “I don’t know if they’re ready.” 

“Well, they’ll have to be,” Ricky replied. “Do you want to tell them? Or should I?”

“Let’s do it at rehearsal,” Nini said. “It’ll give us some time to pull together.” 

Her co-director nodded, then glanced at the time. “I gotta get back to my room. Let’s talk over lunch?” 

Nini nodded and Ricky departed the room in a hurry. She let out another exasperated huff, then stood up, adjusted the hem of her blouse, and tried to force a smile for her first period students.

* * *

EJ arrived at Nini’s classroom at the start of their prep period, prepared to confront her about her potential infidelity. He had arrived to work in a sour mood, and it had only gotten worse as the morning progressed. He’d followed through with what Gina asked, and with every passing minute he questioned whether it was the right thing to do at all. 

“Nini, we gotta talk,” he announced as he strode into her classroom. He’d spent all morning preparing for how to react to what she’d say. He’d planned out every possibility, just like a good coach should. He knew what he’d say if she denied it. He knew what he’d say if she apologized. He knew what he’d say if it turned out to be nothing at all. 

He didn’t know what to do when Nini spotted him and launched herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. He wasn’t prepared for the sobs that wracked her body as his arms dangled uselessly at his sides for a moment, then quickly found their way around her slender waist, pulling her tighter to him and rocking her gently. 

“Babe, I’ve had the worst morning,” she said, taking in a deep, watery breath to steady herself. She looked up at him, her dark eyes searching his green ones for some relief or comfort or strength. 

Whatever anger EJ had carried into the room with him dissipated the moment Nini threw herself into his arms. “What happened?” he asked softly. 

Nini told him about the struggles with the budget and the generosity of Big Red and Kourtney. She told him about the plans she and Ricky had developed over the weekend, and EJ momentarily seethed at the idea once more. But when she recounted her morning, with all four leads dropping out of the show, his anger was gone once more, replaced only with shame and a sense of dread that crept steadily over him. 

“Don’t you have understudies?” EJ asked, hoping it might relieve his girlfriend. 

“We do,” she answered. 

He offered her a winning smile. “Then what’s the problem? You’ve got understudies. They’ll fill in and the production’s back on track. Right?” His face fell when Nini didn’t smile back at him. “Right?” he repeated.

“It’s not that simple,” Nini shook her head. “The understudies have barely rehearsed. And they were alright, but definitely not anywhere near as good as the leads we lost. I don’t know…It just feels like everything’s gone wrong with this show.” 

EJ forced a laugh. “Don’t be silly, babe. There’s always gonna be bumps in the road. I had so many with the basketball team. Remember? It’s part of the process.” 

“I know there’s always bumps,” Nini sighed. “But there’s just been so many with the musical. One right after the other. First all the sets and props got thrown out. Then we lost a huge chunk of our budget. And now four of the main roles have dropped out… It’s like fate or something. Like the universe is trying to tell me to quit.” 

Another pang of guilt shot through EJ’s chest. “Babe, don’t say that,” he said gently. “You can’t give up.” 

“I don’t know how much more of this I can take, EJ!” 

He sighed, twisting a lock of her long, dark hair in his fingers. For a moment, he considered coming clean. Maybe he could salvage some part of this. But he realized that saying anything would inevitably make things much worse. 

“Wait a minute,” Nini said. 

“What?” EJ asked, too quickly.

“Two of the boys who dropped out. Elijah and Morgan. They’re both on the basketball team.”

“Yeah,” EJ confirmed, hoping she didn’t notice the crack in his voice.

“Well, do you think you could talk to them? Maybe try to convince them to come back? Ricky and I can work around their schedules if they need to.” 

EJ forced a smile. “Yeah! Yeah, I can totally talk to them for you, babe. I’ll try to get them to come back.”

Nini looked relieved. “Thank you, babe. I knew I could count on you.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“Yup. You can count on me,” EJ repeated, and he was grateful that Nini was too busy wrapping him in a hug to see the look on his face.

* * *

“Mariela, Rynn, Marcus, Noah, we need to see you, please,” Nini called as soon as everyone had gathered for rehearsal. “Nothing bad. Everyone else, start warming up.” 

She and Ricky gathered the four students in Ricky’s office. “Alright, guys, there’s been some changes,” Ricky said, glancing from once face to the next. Mariela stood, twisting her long, dark hair in her hands until he began to worry she’d get it caught in a knot. 

Rynn glanced at her shoes, inspecting the doodles that had been inked into the white canvas. Marcus stood at parade rest, feet shoulder-width apart and hands locked behind him. Noah peered over the rim of his glasses at the two directors. 

“There were some unexpected changes to the cast list,” Nini said gently. “So we’re happy to announce that all four of you will now be part of the main cast.” 

Mariela’s eyes widened. “Really?” she asked.

“Yup,” Ricky confirmed, a smile breaking across his face. “Mariela, you’re officially our Belle. Rynn, you’ll be playing Mrs. Potts. Marcus, you’re our Gaston. And Noah? Time to get beastly.” 

The four students exchanged glances and nervous smiles. “What happened to the original cast?” Marcus asked.

“They had to leave for...various personal reasons,” Nini answered delicately. “But it doesn’t matter. What matters is, you’ve been rehearsing and preparing. Mr. Bowen and I believe in you.” 

“You ready?” Ricky threw in, and he received tentative nods in return. “Good enough,” he said. “Let’s get out there and rock this thing.” 

* * *

By the time rehearsal was finished, Nini wanted to cry all over again. The understudies had entered, brimming with excitement and enthusiasm. But their technique needed a lot of work. Mariela had mumbled through her lines, at times almost inaudible. Rynn had missed several cues despite having her script in front of her. Marcus, meanwhile, had been flat on almost every note when rehearsing music. 

“That was a disaster,” Nini said once the cast had left for the day. She and Ricky were stacking chairs in the music room. 

“It was their first day,” Ricky tried to reassure her, though he had to admit that he was worried, too. “They just need a little time.” 

“I don’t know how much time we have,” Nini answered.

Ricky sighed. “I know. Today wasn’t the best. But look on the bright side. Tomorrow has to be better, right?” 

“I hope so,” Nini managed a wan smile. 

“At the very least, I don’t see how they could get much worse,” Ricky admitted. 

* * *

“Gina, I think we crossed a line,” EJ announced as he strode into her classroom. He was getting used to this walk. 

Gina rolled her eyes. “You gotta stop doing this, EJ,” she said exasperatedly.

“Look, I’m just saying. Maybe there was another way we could’ve done this. I mean, ‘accidentally’ getting some sets thrown out? Fine, whatever. The budget thing? Kinda shitty but they could still make it work. Stealing all four of their leads, though?” 

“We wouldn’t have had to steal their leads if the other plans had worked,” Gina pointed out. “But clearly we weren’t doing enough. After all, you yourself said Nini stayed  _ mighty  _ late at Ricky’s apartment over the weekend.” 

EJ grunted. “I know what I said. But…” The image of Nini throwing herself into his arms earlier in the day replayed in his head. Would she have really done that if she was cheating on him? “Nini’s my girlfriend. Not Ricky’s. She wouldn’t really cheat on me.” He spoke it with finality, but in his mind he was already questioning his statement. 

Gina snorted. “You wanna take that chance? Be my guest.” 

“But what if it affects Nini’s job?” EJ asked. “What if she gets in trouble because she can’t pull the show off without the leads?” 

“You really think that’ll happen?” the math teacher retorted. “At most, they won’t let her direct next year. But even that’s a long shot. And besides, you mean to tell me that the legendary Eric James Caswell can’t finesse Gutierrez into giving his girlfriend another shot if the musical’s a bust this year?” 

EJ hated when anyone used his full name, and he especially hated it when it came out of Gina’s mouth. And he hated when Gina pandered to his ego, mostly because it had worked up until very recently. “Nini was crying today. She cried because of how many setbacks she’s faced trying to get this show off the ground. And we caused every single one of those setbacks. She cried because of me. I don’t like that.” 

Gina’s face wavered for a moment. “EJ,” she said slowly. “I know it sucks. But don’t you believe this is for the best? For a greater purpose?” 

EJ thought long and hard. It was so counterintuitive, making Nini suffer to save their relationship. Yeah, Ricky was a punk who had no business looking at her the way he did. And yeah, she’d spent an inordinate amount of time at his apartment, a fact EJ wished he’d never learned. But he still loved Nini at the end of the day, and the thought of causing her any kind of pain for any reason was difficult to bear. 

“Why does Nini matter so much to you?” Gina asked.

EJ was startled, and his eyes darted to her, sizing up whether her question was rhetorical. Gina looked more sincere than he’d ever seen her.

He sighed. It was something he pondered often. “I was on the basketball team in college. Gonzaga. D1 school. And I was a starter. But senior year, I tore my ACL, MCL, and meniscus.” His knee throbbed with the remembered pain. “It ended my career overnight. I might’ve gone pro otherwise.” 

“That sucks,” Gina said. 

“Yeah,” EJ laughed bitterly. “Anyway, I realized during recovery that nothing in my life was real, you know? Most of my friends? The girls I was seeing? They didn’t care about me. They cared that I was on the team. Once I was off, they stopped coming around. Senior year was probably the loneliest I’d ever been. I was ready to drop out of school altogether, but I decided to finish my degree. After graduation, I didn’t have anywhere else to go. So I moved back home and took a PE teacher job here. And that’s when I met Nini. Or, well, got to know Nini, I suppose. I kinda knew her from high school. And she was the first person that didn’t care about the fact that I could’ve gone pro but didn’t. It didn’t matter to her because she liked who I was. There weren’t many people like that left in my life. There still aren’t now…” His voice trailed off and he lifted his eyes to Gina’s again. To his surprise, the math teacher was listening attentively, nodding in understanding. 

“Nini’s the most real thing in my life,” EJ finished. “She doesn’t just see me as some washed-up athlete. She doesn’t even see me as some local legend coach. She just sees…me.” 

“Wow. She sounds great,” Gina replied after a moment. There was a wistfulness in her tone. “And what you just told me? It sounds like a damn good reason to fight. If things keep progressing between her and Ricky, you’re going to lose her. I know you don’t trust me, but at least trust yourself. You love Nini, right?” 

EJ nodded.

“Then fight for her. It’ll be worth it in the end.” 


	10. Chapter 10

Ricky ditched his bag by the door upon entering the apartment and let out a long sigh as he pried off his shoes. He’d stayed long after rehearsal ended, going over the music and trying to figure out a way to break it down further. The former leads had spoiled him, having picked up the songs effortlessly. The understudies - no, new leads, he corrected himself - would need a lot more work if they were going to nail the song numbers by opening night. His efforts to find a solution were hindered by his own frustration.

“You good?” Big Red looked up from the couch, phone in hand and Halfpipe curled up next to him.

“I’m fine,” Ricky bit out, regretting how bitter he sounded immediately.

“You don’t sound fine,” his roommate pointed out. 

“Sorry,” Ricky sighed. “I didn’t mean to say it like that. Stressful day.” He plopped down on the arm chair, sitting diagonally across the cushion and resting his head on one hand. 

Big Red sat up and let his phone drop onto the couch beside him. “What happened?” he asked, forehead creasing in concern. 

Halfpipe, sensing an opportunity to change seats and greet Ricky, migrated to the armchair where Ricky absentmindedly stroked his short fur. 

“Four of our leads quit today,” Ricky said. 

“Four?” Big Red repeated, jaw dropping. 

“Yeah. And probably the four biggest parts, too.”

“All at once?” 

“More or less,” Ricky said. “Two of them came to see me this morning to tell me, and two of them went to Nini and told her the same thing. Personal commitments and all. I just wish they hadn’t waited until we were already weeks into rehearsal to tell us.” 

Big Red frowned. “That sounds kinda fishy…” 

Ricky shrugged, still running his hand through Halfpipe’s fur as the dog began to doze off in his lap. “They’re high schoolers, Red. High schoolers are flakes sometimes.”

“Maybe so, but still…” 

Ricky sighed. “Either way, it doesn’t really matter. We don’t have a choice but to run the show with the understudies.”

Big Red brightened. “Okay, well at least you’ve got a backup option.” 

“Except not really,” Ricky replied, remembering all the snags in that afternoon’s rehearsal. With time, he was certain the understudies would improve and nail the performance. But that would require time they didn’t have. “Don’t get me wrong, the kids are great. But they’re nowhere near ready and I don’t think Nini and I can get them prepped in time. It’s gonna take weeks just to get them off-book.” 

“Whoa. Dude,” Red held up a hand and Ricky stopped. “Did I just hear what I think I heard?” 

“What?” Ricky asked in confusion. 

“Did you just say you  _ can’t _ do something?” 

“No. I said… I said I don’t think we can have them ready in time.” 

“Which is the same thing as saying you can’t do it.” 

Ricky screwed his eyes shut and clutched his head in his hands. “Okay. Fine. You’re right. I said I can’t.” 

“That’s not good,” Big Red said. 

“I know,” Ricky mumbled. 

“You know what the problem is?” 

“What?” 

“You’re too in your own head right now, dude.” Big Red stood up from the couch. “You’re never gonna find a solution if you’re too busy thinking about the problem.” 

Ricky looked at his best friend quizzically. “Don’t...you have to think about the problem to solve it?” 

“Not the point,” Big Red said. “The point is that you need to clear your head.” 

“Thanks. But I don’t really see how-”

“Get your board and come with me,” Red cut him off. 

“What?” 

“Get your board and c’mon!” Red urged.

Five minutes later, they were both sitting in Big Red’s orange Beetle. Red turned the key over and over, trying desperately to get the car to start.

“Dude, we can just take my car,” Ricky said.

“Patience. She just needs a minute to warm up,” Red insisted. A few more attempts and the car eventually turned over, idling roughly in the driveway. “Got your board?” 

“Yup,” Ricky tapped the skateboard resting between his knees. 

“And your helmet?” 

“Check.” 

“And your kneepads?” 

“Dude, I’m not twelve.” 

Big Red shrugged. “Suit yourself.” He slammed the car into reverse and it groaned as he eased it out of the driveway. 

“Where are we going?” 

“You’ll see!” 

The drive took fifteen minutes, but it felt closer to thirty. Every bump shook the cabin of the car and threatened to jolt Ricky loose from his seat. By the time they parked the car in a public lot, Ricky was beginning to wonder if the smell of gasoline would ever fully leave him. 

“Where are we?” Ricky asked, slamming the passenger door because it was the only way to ensure it was shut properly. 

Big Red started walking and Ricky fell into step beside him. They found themselves at the entrance to a park. “Welcome to the soon-to-be home of the Salt Lake City Skate Championship,” the redhead declared, gesturing to the park in front of them with flourish. “They just finished work on the skate park and it’s open to the public. C’mon.” 

The two best friends made their way through the entrance. Night had fallen, but the center of the park was illuminated by floodlights. Ricky could see a halfpipe and other ramps, lit up in the harsh glow. About a dozen people - mostly teenagers - milled about, occasionally grinding a railing or taking a turn down a ramp.

“They put this up just for the competition?” Ricky marveled.

“Not just,” Big Red replied. “They were gonna build it anyway, but having the championship definitely helped speed things up.”

“It looks incredible.” 

Ricky couldn’t remember the last time he’d been to a skate park. In high school, back in Chicago, he’d spent more time at the local skate park than his own home. And in college, he and Big Red went regularly, especially when the stress of schoolwork was bringing them down. But he couldn’t remember going to a skate park anytime after graduation. Life got busy, and he was a world away for a year. He’d skateboarded through city streets from time-to-time, and he spent countless afternoons in the skate shop messing around with Big Red, but that was all. 

Now, perched atop the halfpipe with the board beneath his feet, he felt a sense of exhilaration. Like he was a kid again, and not a young man in his early-twenties who was probably just a little too old for the rest of the crowd gathered. He took a deep breath, pushed off, and let gravity carry him down the ramp, shifting his body weight to increase his momentum. The floodlights blurred into bright orbs and he felt himself moving upward again as the halfpipe curved. He couldn’t fight the smile on his face and his muscles moved instinctively, riding his momentum so that the board went airborne. He performed a quick frontside flip and made his way back to where he started.

He fist-bumped Big Red, a broad grin splitting his features as he watched his best friend drop in confidently, building speed and executing a perfect stall on the other side before flipping back around to come back. Big Red had always been the better skater, and watching him in action reminded Ricky of how much he missed nights like this. They traded off a few more times, riding the halfpipe and pulling tricks. Finally, after his final pass, Ricky brought his board to a stop and went to sit on the steps. Big Red joined him.

“Well?” his best friend asked.

Ricky smiled. “You were right,” he said. “I was too in my own head.”

Big Red clapped him on the back. “Told you, dude!” 

“So what do I do now?” Ricky asked. “I’ve still got a cast full of understudies and opening night isn’t that far away.” 

“See, that’s where you’re wrong, my friend.” 

Ricky frowned questioningly. 

“You don’t have a cast full of understudies. You have a cast full of under _ dogs _ . They may be rough around the edges now, but you yourself said they have potential, right?” 

Ricky nodded.

“You and me, Ricky? We’re underdogs,” Big Red went on.

“We are?” 

“Of course we are! Look at us. Nobody would’ve ever expected us to be where we are now. You’re a teacher. You’re co-director of the musical. I’ve got a business. Nobody would’ve thought we’d be here. But we made it.”

Ricky supposed Big Red had a point. How many times had he doubted he would ever make it to graduation? How many times had he doubted he would survive teaching abroad for a year?

“You’ve got a cast full of underdogs,” Red repeated. “They can do it. But they’re never gonna succeed if you don’t believe in them first. And that’s why you’re the perfect director for them. You’ve been there. You get it. Let ‘em know you believe in them, dude. They’ll rise to the challenge.” 

Ricky turned it over in his head. Big Red had a point, and he was almost ashamed of how little faith he had placed in the understudies - underdogs - they’d chosen. 

* * *

As soon as he and Big Red got home, Ricky went into his room, shut the door, and called Nini. He was acutely aware that it was late, but he had a sneaking suspicion she would be up. 

Nini picked up on the second ring. “Hello?” She sounded wide awake.

“Hey,” Ricky said. His voice sounded breathless, even to his own ears. “Got a minute?” 

“I got all night,” Nini said. “I don’t think I’m gonna be able to sleep.” 

“Still worried about the show,” he surmised. 

“That’s an understatement,” she answered. There was a brief pause. “Ricky, today was a trainwreck.”

“It wasn’t that bad…”

Nini laughed, but there was no humor behind it. “How are we going to do this?” she asked quietly after a minute. “Opening night is only a few weeks away. I don’t know how to do this. I don’t think it’s going to work…” 

“We can,” Ricky said firmly, cutting her off before she had a chance to damage her own self-esteem further. “Nini, they put us in charge of the show because they knew we could.” 

“And also because nobody else would do it,” she pointed out.

“But they wouldn’t have put on a musical at all if they thought we weren’t qualified,” he countered. “Look, I was talking to Big Red and he had a point. They’re kids. And they have talent. Maybe they’re not as naturally gifted as our original leads, but we thought they had enough potential to make them understudies, didn’t we? So we clearly felt they could step up if they needed to.” 

“That was before we realized we would need all four of them simultaneously,” Nini said.

“Yeah, that does make it trickier,” Ricky conceded. “But the fact is, we felt they could do it then. So we gotta believe in them now. They’re never gonna get better if we don’t believe they can. They’re underdogs, not understudies.” 

“What’re you suggesting?” Nini asked haltingly. 

“I’m suggesting we keep rehearsing, keep working on it with them, and run the show with four underdogs in the lead roles.” 

Nini sighed heavily. “Ricky...no offense. I like your idea. But I don’t know if it’s as easy as you think. We’re pretty much back to square one.” 

Ricky couldn’t blame Nini. Until about an hour earlier, he had felt just as hopeless and defeated. But he desperately needed her onboard or the show stood no chance. “Just say you’ll give it a chance? Before we give up. Let’s give it a try?” 

There was a long pause. “I’ll think about it,” Nini said finally. It didn’t sound like a Nini thing to say. The Nini Ricky had come to know was upbeat, optimistic. But it was something. 

* * *

Nini stared at the text from EJ.

_ Hey babe. I know it was a rough day. Do you wanna go see a movie to get your mind off it?  _

She sighed and debated obliging. She didn’t really want to see a movie, but EJ had a way of making things better. And besides, the show had been taking up so much of their time together. She felt guilty. Even so, going out sounded like the last appealing option at the moment, so she tapped out a reply.

_ Thanks babe. But I really don’t feel up to going out tonight. I’m sorry.  _

She put her phone down, then debated picking it back up and retracting her previous statement. Maybe going out was a good idea. Maybe it would take her mind off of the fact that four leads had just dropped out of the show simultaneously. And while Ricky’s idea was sweet and idealistic, and while it definitely appealed to everything she believed it about theater and about students, she wasn’t sure it was even feasible. It had taken weeks to get the original leads up to this point, and they had started with more confidence and experience. It would take twice as long with the new cast, and that was time they didn’t have. 

Nini’s phone began to buzz, distracting her. She snatched it off the coffee table.  _ Kourtney would like to FaceTime.  _ She quickly accepted the call and a moment later, her best friend’s face appeared onscreen. 

“Hey, Neeners,” Kourtney said. 

“Hey,” Nini replied, trying to force the glumness from her voice. 

Kourtney frowned. “Okay, what’s wrong?” 

“Nothing’s wrong,” Nini answered, feigning innocence. 

Kourtney fixed her with a look.

She sighed. “Okay, fine. Something’s wrong. It’s the musical.” 

“Again? Say no more. I’m on my way.” 

“No, it’s really not that -” 

But Kourtney had ended the call and a moment later, Nini heard a key being inserted into her front door. Her best friend burst in a moment later. “Have no fear, your fairy godmother is here.” 

Nini bit back a smile. “Wrong play.” 

“Well Belle may not need a fairy godmother, but you sure as hell do,” Kourtney answered, plopping herself down on the couch beside Nini. “I mean seriously. First the props, then the budget. What is it now? Did someone burn the auditorium down?” 

“Don’t even say that!” Nini admonished. She proceeded to fill Kourtney in on the morning’s events, how the cast members had dropped out suddenly, and about the disastrous rehearsal that afternoon. 

“Anyway, Ricky’s solution is to go all in on rehearsal. He thinks if we believe in them enough, they’ll improve by opening night. Which is sweet and all. But...I don’t know. He says we shouldn’t call them understudies, but underdogs.” 

“Nini, that’s an amazing idea,” Kourtney declared, causing the drama teacher to turn to her in surprise. 

“Really?”

“Really.” 

“You don’t think it’s, like, I don’t know. Corny? Or unrealistic?” 

“Maybe it’s a little corny,” Kourtney said. “But Ricky has a point. The first thing they taught me in business school was that you gotta fake it till you make it. And let me tell you, you gotta fake it for a long time. But eventually you get so good at faking it, you realize you’re not even faking anymore. You’re just confident. It doesn’t come overnight, though. And those kids definitely won’t get good at faking it if they think you don’t believe in them. Besides, you’re an underdog too!” 

“No!” Nini protested.

Kourtney glared at her. “Really? The height of your dramatic career was playing the back half of a cow. You’ve got underdog written all over you. Now’s your chance to get this ragtag group of kids together, stage an amazing musical with the most beautiful costumes courtesy of yours truly, and show the world what underdogs can do.” 

“You really think so?” Nini asked. 

Maybe Kourtney was right. Maybe this was an opportunity. After all, she’d been an understudy countless times in the past. Between Ricky’s sincere belief in these kids and Kourtney’s insistence that it could be done, she found her own spirit renewed. 

“I know so,” Kourtney replied. “Besides, I already started making the costumes so you can’t cancel the show now.” 

Nini smiled and wrapped one arm around her best friend, hugging her close. “You’re the best, Kourt.” 

* * *

Nini found Ricky in the music room the next morning. “Hey,” she said softly. 

“Oh, hey,” Ricky looked up from the sheet music in his hand. 

“So first off, I wanted to apologize,” she began. 

“Why?” Ricky looked confused. 

“Well, when you first told me about your idea I wasn’t exactly supportive. I thought it was kinda dumb. But I’ve been thinking about it and you’re right. They may be underdogs, but how can we expect them to improve if we don’t make it clear that we believe in them. I was talking to Kourtney and she said I’m an underdog, too, and that’s sorta what made me realize…” 

Ricky grinned. “Do you ever think we’re leading parallel lives?” 

“Why?” 

“Because Big Red told me the same thing. So I guess we’re just a pair of underdogs leading an underdog army.” 

Nini’s face split into a grin. “Well, Underdog, I came to tell you that I’m willing to give it a try if you are.” 

Ricky couldn’t help but grin back. “I’m in, Underdog.” 

* * *

EJ caught Nini in her classroom just before first period. “Hey, babe,” he greeted. “I came to check on you. See how you’re doing today.” 

Nini’s face lit up. “So much better!” she exclaimed. “Our new leads need a lot of work still, but I was talking to Ricky last night and I think we can make it work.” 

EJ’s face wavered for a moment. “Oh. That’s great news!” he said, hoping the cheerfulness in his tone sounded natural. “So, maybe we could celebrate tonight?” 

Nini felt a pang of guilt surge through her. “Babe, I know we haven’t had a lot of time together,” she began carefully. 

EJ’s face fell. “I’m gonna take that as a no, then?” 

“It’s nothing personal,” she reassured him. “It’s just… With everything that’s gone wrong with the show, it’s gonna take a lot to get it back on track. Ricky and I were planning to stay after rehearsal tonight to plan…” 

“Got it,” EJ said, a bit more harshly than he intended. 

Nini reached out and let one hand curl around EJ’s bicep, turning him so that he was looking at her once more. “EJ, you know I’m not doing it on purpose, right? We talked about this. Back when I said I would co-direct the play. We both knew it was gonna eat into our time together. Just like when basketball season starts.” 

EJ sighed. “I remember,” he said. 

Nini fell silent for a moment, thoughts racing. “How about this? I’m gonna be busy with the show during the week. But this weekend, I’ll come over and we can have the entire weekend together. Just the two of us.” 

She searched EJ’s face for some reaction, hoping it would be enough to make her boyfriend feel better. She had admittedly been neglecting him, and he had every right to be upset about it, she reminded herself. 

EJ finally relented. “Alright,” he said. “I guess we can do that.” Nini brightened, but he didn’t mirror her expression, and she couldn’t help but feel like he was still upset somehow.


	11. Chapter 11

While Ricky worked with the cast to rehearse music, Nini decided to help with the set design and construction. Ashlyn had begun work a few days ago, aided by several of her students who were also in the art club, along with a plethora of students involved with the renaissance fair. 

Nini found Ashlyn backstage, kneeling on the ground with several large cardboard panels laid out before her and an assortment of paints scattered around the floor. 

“Hey!” she chirped. 

The redhead looked up, her face softening into a gentle smile when she recognized the director. “Oh, hey. I was just experimenting with some ideas. If you need the space, I can relocate.” 

“No, no,” Nini said quickly. “Stay, please.” She squatted down beside the history teacher. “Can I help with anything?” 

“Yeah, actually,” Ashlyn said brightly. “Could you hand me that brush over there?” 

Nini picked up the thick, wood-handled paint brush, coated in a thick layer of white pain, and handed it to the history teacher.

“Thanks,” Ashlyn said, taking the brush in her right hand and setting to work on one of the pieces of cardboard. “There’s another brush over there,” she indicated with her head, “if you wanna help. I’m gonna paint the whole thing white.” 

Nini nodded and willingly retrieved the second brush, dipping it into the can of white paint and settling herself opposite Ashlyn so that she wouldn’t get in her way. They painted in amiable silence for a while, starting on opposite ends of the panel and working their way to the center. 

“What’s this going to be?” Nini asked.

“When it’s all done? Hopefully a wall for the Beast’s castle. Once the paint sets, I’m going to come in with a thinner brush and add stonework details.” 

“Are you sure you aren’t an art teacher?” Nini laughed. “Because you’re pretty damn good at this.” 

Ashlyn chuckled, too. “In another life, perhaps. I thought about teaching art, but my parents convinced me there’s no money in it. If only I knew we’d all get paid the same no matter what subject we teach.” 

“True,” Nini giggled. "Even though some of us definitely spend a _lot_ more time planning than others."

“Oh, you mean like EJ?" Ashlyn laughed. "You know, he once told me that he spends about a half hour a week preparing lessons? I wanted to strangle him. I spend a half hour _per day_. I don’t regret it though. No art teacher would be able to design such a period-correct castle set, after all.”

“Period-correct?” 

Ashlyn nodded enthusiastically. “Of course! The real castle in  _ Beauty and the Beast  _ was based on Chateau de Chambord, so that’s what I’m basing the set designs off of. We gotta make it authentic.” 

Nini stared at the redhead, mouth agape. “You. Are. Incredible,” she enunciated. “Seriously, I don’t know how we’ll ever be able to repay you.” 

The history teacher shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. I love this stuff. Besides, I said I would design a set for you and I don’t believe in half-assing anything,” she said simply. 

As they continued painting, Nini debated bringing up EJ. Would it be overstepping? Would Ashlyn even want to talk about her cousin? Would it come off as insincere?

It bothered her that in the time she and EJ had been dating, she had never really gotten to know his cousin, despite the fact that they worked together. The most interaction they had outside of work was at occasional Caswell family barbecues or at holiday gatherings. She knew that Ashlyn was the closest thing EJ had to a sister - he had no siblings of his own - and that they had been close growing up. But while Nini had introduced EJ to just about every one of her family members: her moms, her grandmother, and countless aunts and uncles and cousins, she barely knew anyone in EJ’s family outside of his parents. 

“Hey, Ash?” she finally spoke, aware that her voice had gone up a few pitches. 

“Hmmm?” Ashlyn hummed in response, right hand still sweeping the brush back and forth. 

“Can I ask you something? About EJ? And you can totally say no if you’d rather not talk about your cousin with me. I get it. Potential conflict of interest and all…”

“It’s fine,” Ashlyn laughed, setting her paint brush aside. “To be honest, I’m surprised you didn’t bring him up sooner.”

Nini instantly relaxed, her shoulders dropping as she released a small breath. “I just didn’t want you to think I’m only interested in talking to you about EJ.” 

Ashlyn picked up the brush again, letting out a short laugh. “I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that EJ isn’t  _ that  _ interesting. We’d run out of things to talk about pretty quick. Now, what can I help illuminate about my cousin? Strictly confidential,” she added, resuming her work. 

Nini hesitated once more. She knew EJ was acting...different. And it was bothering her. But how could she express that to Ashlyn when she couldn’t even find the words to explain it to herself? Ever since she’d shown up late at his house, there was something that felt off. He was curt with her at times, something he'd never been before, and it seemed like anything involving the musical inevitably set him off.

“I don’t know,” the English teacher finally sighed, picking up her own paint brush again. “He’s just been acting different lately.” 

“Different how?” Ashlyn looked up, concern etched into her features. 

“Not in a bad way,” Nini reassured her quickly. “Not really, anyway. He’s just… I think he’s mad at me. He’s been a little short with me recently, and when I told him that I couldn’t see him because I had to help Ricky plan for the musical he seemed really upset.” 

Ashlyn nodded sagely. “Sounds like my cousin.” 

“What do you mean?” 

The redhead shrugged. “Honestly? I think he probably feels a little neglected.” 

It was Nini’s worst fear confirmed. She knew what it was like to feel invisible, and she had sworn to herself that she would never make another person feel that way. Now she had. 

Ashlyn looked up and noticed the look on Nini’s face. “Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s not your fault,” she reassured her. 

“I know, but…” 

Ashlyn hushed her gently. “Look, Nini. EJ's got a bad case of only child syndrome. And a little bit of star child syndrome, too." 

"Star child syndrome?" 

"His parents put him on a pedestal growing up. And when you're a Caswell - especially his branch of the family tree - that's a pretty big pedestal. He isn’t exactly used to sharing.” 

“I just don’t want him to feel like I don’t care about him.” 

Ashlyn put down the brush and held Nini’s gaze. “Listen to me, Nini,” she said. “Nobody thinks for a second that you don’t care about EJ. Not even EJ believes you don’t care about him, even if he acts like it. Just...be patient with him. I know he can be a gigantic man baby and believe me, it gets on my nerves too. But he’ll adjust. You can’t put your life on hold for him.” 

“What if this play's the thing that drives us apart?” Nini finally spoke the question that had been playing on her mind. 

Ashlyn shook her head. “It won’t. Trust me when I say that. You should hear the way EJ talks about you, Nini. He acts like you hung the moon or something. Right now, I think his feelings are just hurt because the show is taking up so much of your time. He’ll come around. And maybe he’ll even learn something in the process.” 

* * *

Ricky poked his head behind the curtain at the close of rehearsal. “Hey!” he said, causing both Ashlyn and Nini to look up. 

“Hey,” Nini replied. “How’d the music rehearsal go?” 

Ricky made a face. “Can we talk?” 

“And that’s my cue,” Ashlyn announced, tossing her hands up. “You can leave everything where it is. I’ll be back.” She made her way out the backstage door, leaving the two co-directors alone in the auditorium. 

“Not good?” Nini asked, once they were alone.

“That’s an understatement,” Ricky dropped down beside her, sitting cross-legged as she continued to run her paint brush over the same spot over and over. The whole backstage smelled of paint. “Noah hit a few sour notes and just shut down. Mid-song. He just gave up. And then Mariela came in too early at one point and crumbled.”

Nini sighed. “I mean, I understand why they’d be self-conscious.” 

“They’ve got no confidence,” Ricky declared. 

“To be fair, we haven’t exactly been very confident either.” 

“I know,” the music teacher admitted. “And I’m serious about what I said before. We need to show these kids we believe in them.” 

“How do we do that?” Nini questioned.

Ricky grinned knowingly. “We give ‘em a pep talk.”    
  
  



	12. Chapter 12

_ Hi Nini (and Ricky - so sorry we never got to meet),  _

_ I’ve heard your panic about finding a choreographer and have no fear. I’m sending the very best in the business. (Besides me, of course.) My dear friend Seb Matthew-Smith has agreed to choreograph the show at the budget you provided. You’ll love him. Look him up - Matthew-Smith Dance Company in Salt Lake. Sending lots of love and support from the East Coast. If you’re ever in New York, let me know! _

_ Break a leg! _

_ Carlos _

“He just arrived a few minutes ago. He’s waiting backstage. I looked him up,” Nini said after Ricky had read the email. 

“And?” 

“He’s  _ amazing _ ! Like, seriously incredible. I just hope the kids can keep up.” 

“Let’s find out,” Ricky said as the two headed into the auditorium and took their places in front of the stage. The cast milled about in the auditorium seats, phones and snacks in hand. 

Nini forced a grin at them all, trying to think of a way to get their attention.  _ What does EJ normally say to start basketball practice? Huddle up?  _ It would sound ridiculous in a theater full of kids who, like her, probably couldn’t name a single rule in basketball. 

“Alright cast, listen up!” Ricky bellowed into the auditorium, his voice reverberating off the walls and hushing the kids in a matter of seconds. He gave Nini an impish smirk that won him a genuine smile in return. “I know we hit a rough spot recently,” he continued. “I know some of us are feeling kinda doubtful about staging this show when we only have a few weeks left of rehearsals. But here’s the thing. Weeks ago, when we first held auditions, each and every one of you got up in front of me and Ms. Salazar-Roberts. You sang your hearts out. You performed your sides. And when all was said and done, we chose you specifically for the part you’re playing. So all those doubts? All those rough spots? Check them at the door. Because we wouldn’t have chosen you for a part you couldn’t play. Ms. Salazar-Roberts,” he turned to his co-director. “Anything you’d like to add?” 

Nini felt her smile broaden. For a moment, Ricky’s words had even set her heart soaring. Her veins surged with newfound confidence. “We’re gonna rehearse our hearts out and kick some butt.” 

“No,” Ricky said, his eyes darting around the auditorium. “We’re gonna kick some  _ ass. _ ” This won him a few laughs from the cast. “Are you with us?”

There was a brief pause. The auditorium felt charged. And then, all at once, the cast rose to their feet and clapped. They stomped their feet. They cheered. Ricky and Nini both heaved sighs of relief. 

When they had settled once again, Nini announced to the group, “We’re going to change things up. We’ve found a choreographer who is highly recommended. He’s going to work with you all today on the choreography for ‘Be Our Guest.’ So let’s all give a warm welcome to Mr. Seb Matthews-Smith.” 

A blond-haired young man in a sparkling silver jacket and tortoise-shell glasses stepped out from behind the curtain, waving to the students with both hands as he joined Ricky and Nini at the front of the auditorium and introduced himself. “Now, we’re going to take this as slowly as we need to, so don’t feel pressured to nail it right away. The important thing is to give it a try. But first, we need to warm-up.”

* * *

Ricky had never danced in his life. Not at parties. Not in shows. Not in the car on the way to work. He’d barely danced at prom, and even then, the half-hearted slow dance he’d managed to pull off had been at his then-girlfriend’s request. Skateboards? Yeah. Guitars and pianos and drums and trombones? Anytime. But when Seb threw out terms like “box step” or “plie,” he may as well have been speaking Latin. Even so, it didn’t take a dancer to know that the choreography Seb had designed was challenging. 

“You’re going to hold that for two counts,” Seb instructed. “And then it’s a quick assemble,” he said, demonstrating. 

Ricky caught Marcus’s deer-in-the-headlights look and understood immediately. He offered the boy an encouraging smile, hoping it would bolster his confidence just a little. But it was to no avail. After stumbling through a few more counts, Marcus slipped and landed on his side with a muffled “oomph.” 

“Oh my god,” Seb immediately halted the music and rushed over to the teen as his cast mates tried to help him up. 

“I’m fine,” Marcus bit out, refusing their assistance as he rose to his feet and shrugged them off, making a beeline for the stairs and exiting the auditorium.

Seb looked to Ricky in confusion. 

“I’ll get him,” the co-director said. “Just...keep rehearsing.” 

There was no sign of Marcus in the hallway when Ricky burst through the auditorium doors, and he briefly considered where the teenager might have gone. On a hunch, he made his way downstairs toward the music room. Sure enough, Marcus was sitting on the floor, back against the lockers beside the door. Ricky lowered himself to the ground beside the boy. 

“You alright? He asked. “No bruises or anything?”

“I’m fine,” Marcus replied.

Ricky understood the humiliation the boy must have felt. 

“Shouldn’t you be in the auditorium?” Marcus questioned after the silence had dragged on a bit too long. 

Ricky shook his head. “I think they’ve got it handled upstairs. When you’re ready, we can head back up together.” 

Marcus sighed. “I can’t dance. You’re better off finding somebody else for the part. I’m just gonna fall flat again.” 

“And if you do?” the teacher questioned. 

“If I do what?” 

“Fall flat. What happens?” 

Marcus paused for a moment, pondering the question, and finally shrugged. “I...I’m not sure.” 

Ricky’s features softened into a smile. “You get back up,” he offered gently. “And you run it again.” 

“They’re all gonna laugh,” the teenager protested.

“Nobody laughed the first time,” Ricky pointed out. “I’ll let you in on a secret. I can’t dance either. Not to save my life. Even though I’m a music teacher and I know all about rhythm, if you put me on a dance floor I’ll look like an idiot. And that’s okay. But I’ll let you in on another secret. Everyone falls flat sometimes.” 

Marcus released a bitter laugh. “Yeah, but most of us don’t do it literally.” 

“Maybe not,” Ricky shrugged. “But if you fall down and stay down, you’ll never get any better. When I first picked up a guitar, I  _ sucked _ . Every chord I tried would come out muffled or it would sound completely off. And it frustrated the hell outta me. But I kept going at it until eventually, I could play a chord. And then I could play two chords. Then three. And then a whole song. I never would’ve discovered I liked guitar if I gave up after my first bad note. And I never would’ve become a music teacher, either. You don’t have to be a great dancer, Marcus. You just need to take it one step at a time.” 

“Thanks, Mr. Bowen,” Marcus said after turning it over in his mind. “I guess you’re right.” 

Ricky smiled as he rose slowly to his feet and offered Marcus his hand to help him up. “Ready to head back onstage?” 

“Ready,” the boy grinned. 

When they re-entered the auditorium, the choreography had stopped. Mariela was onstage, running dialogue with Noah. 

“We paused choreo for the day,” Nini told Ricky when he took his seat beside her. “They just weren’t getting it. How’s Marcus feeling?” 

“Better, I think. He was embarrassed, but he’s ready to try again.” 

“That’s good,” Nini replied. 

“How’s the dialogue coming?” 

“It’s…” she realized that the actors had been quiet for too long and glanced down at her script. “Mariela, sweetheart, that’s your cue.” 

The dark-haired girl winced. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. 

“It’s okay. We’ll take it from the top of the page. Noah?” 

Noah read his line and Mariela answered, but her voice trailed off midway through. “I...I...I’m sorry. Ms. Salazar-Roberts, I swear I had it down earlier but I can’t!” 

Nini held up her hand. “It’s okay. It’s alright.” She sighed. “Let’s stop here for the day, guys. Regroup. Study your lines a bit more. We’ll have a fresh start tomorrow.” 

Mariela darted from the stage as the students began to pack up their belongings. 

“So that went well,” Ricky commented.

“I don’t think your pep talk reached all of them,” Nini sighed, slinging her purse over her shoulder.

“Some of them just need a little extra TLC. Like Marcus.” 

“Well, maybe you can work some of that magic on Mariela because she missed almost every cue today.” She rubbed her temples. “I need caffeine.” 

“I hear ya,” Ricky agreed.

“There’s a coffee shop around the corner. Join me?” 

Ricky nodded and the two exited the school, walking the short distance to the coffee shop.

“I used to come here all the time last year,” Nini elaborated as she held the door open for him. “I still do, sometimes. Or else EJ picks lunch up for both of us here.” She walked up to the counter, where a pink-haired barista with a name tag that said  _ Jewels _ stood waiting. Nini greeted her as they approached.

“A medium iced soy latte, please,” she asked, then turned to Ricky. 

“I’ll have the same,” he said, unsure of what to order. He moved to take his wallet out of his pocket, but Nini stopped him. 

“My treat,” she said, inserting her card in the chip reader before he could protest, so he offered a thank you instead. 

They received their drinks at the end of the counter and slid into a small, round table by the window. “Seb promised to work on some easier choreography,” Nini told him. “He agreed it was probably a bit too challenging. He’s gonna talk to Carlos and figure something out.” 

“He’s really good,” Ricky said, taking a sip of his coffee. 

“Seriously,” Nini agreed. “We’re lucky to have him. I just hope the kids can pull off whatever he comes up with.” She glanced down and realized that the condensation from her cup was pooling into a puddle on the table. “I’m gonna grab some napkins. Be right back.” 

Ricky nodded, turning to glance out the window as Nini went back to the counter. A black Honda Civic was pulled up outside the coffee shop, blocking his view of the street as it idled in a no parking zone. He did a double-take as he looked through the passenger side window and thought he spotted Gina behind the wheel.

Nini returned to her seat, wiping the small puddle of water on the table. 

“Hey, Nini?” Ricky asked, eyes never leaving the black sedan. 

“Yeah?” Nini looked up at her co-director with a puzzled expression. 

“That black car in the no parking zone. I think it’s Gina’s.” 

Nini looked up just as the car pulled away from the curb. “Maybe,” she shrugged. “I didn’t get a good look.” 

“No, I swear she was in the car,” Ricky replied. “Just...sitting there.” 

“Maybe she's out running errands,” Nini suggested. “We all have lives, you know.” 

“I guess…” 

“Oh, c’mon. You’re as bad as the students,” Nini giggled. “Every time I run into one of them in the grocery store or at the mall, they act so shocked that I do things like eat or buy clothes.” 

Ricky forced a chuckle. “Yeah, you’re right.” But he couldn’t escape the feeling that something was wrong. He was certain that it had been Gina behind the wheel. But why was she idling in a clearly-marked no parking zone? Why hadn’t she gotten out once? And why had she driven off when he pointed her out to Nini. He made a mental note to keep an eye on the math teacher the next day. 


	13. Chapter 13

Nini arrived at school early on Friday morning. As she pulled her car into a parking space, she spotted EJ’s Jeep across the lot and her worst fears were confirmed. There were only two reasons her boyfriend would ever be at school before 7 o’clock. One was for basketball practice, and the other was to blow off steam in the gym if he was upset. It wasn’t basketball season yet, so she could guess why he was there.

Her heart skipped a beat as she unbuckled her seatbelt, swung open her door, and stepped out of the car. Her arms felt leaden as she pulled her purse and her tote from the passenger side floorboard, bumped the door shut with her hip, and fumbled with her key fob to lock the car. The loud  _ beep  _ that echoed throughout the parking lot nearly made her jump out of her skin.

_ Calm down, Nini. EJ might be upset, but that doesn’t mean he’s upset at you.  _

She felt stupid for thinking it, though. She knew he was upset with her. Who - or what - else would he be upset with? In the days since her conversation with Ashlyn, she had tried to convince herself that the musical really was a good chance for the both of them to grow. She had tried to convince herself that Ashlyn was right. That EJ needed to learn this lesson. But now, as she slipped quietly into the nearly-empty building, she felt the conviction leaving her and her body deflated like a balloon. She had predicted that the musical would be the thing to break them up. And it looked like she’d been right. 

Nini resisted the urge to head directly to the gym, to find EJ and apologize for whatever she had done to upset him. She didn’t want to stand before him, arms full with her bags, and have her heart broken into a million pieces right there on the gleaming hardwood. So she went to her classroom first, set her things down, and turned on all the lights. She sat in her chair and swiveled from side to side for a few minutes, debating whether or not to go see her boyfriend at all. 

Was this truly where it ended? A year’s worth of love and laughter and joy down the drain? What stung the most was that she didn’t even know what she had done to make him angry. It made her realize how truly disconnected she had been from the man she claimed to love. 

The walk down to the gym felt endless. The hallways were flooded with fluorescent lighting, and usually they would be bustling with students at their lockers and other teachers scurrying back and forth, making copies or coffee or chitchat. But this early in the morning, East High felt more like a tomb. 

Nini had dated before. A brief, childish relationship in high school - back when she thought she knew everything about love because she’d watched old romances and listened as her moms regaled her with stories of how they’d fallen in love. That relationship flamed out the summer between sophomore and junior year. Then there was a brief, four-month fling in college that Kourtney had predicted the end of before it had really gotten started. And then there was Eric James Caswell, her first true love. 

EJ had been in the office when she showed up for her job interview, and he remembered her, too. That was the first surprise. Like every girl, she’d had a major crush on him in high school. But she was pretty sure he didn’t know she existed. They had danced around the periphery of each other’s lives, sharing a few mutual acquaintances here and there, and one or two classes perhaps. But he’d looked at her with grinning disbelief when she walked in that day, and he’d put in a good word for her when he eventually escorted her to Principal Gutierrez’s office. And on her first day of work, he’d been the one to show her around the school. Weeks later, he’d worked up the nerve to ask her to get coffee. Coffee turned into dinner. Dinner turned into a long stroll through the park until a police officer kicked them out. (EJ had managed to persuade him to give them a few more minutes alone). Every second since then had made Nini feel like she was living some high school fantasy: the wallflower somehow landing the star athlete. And how had she repaid that? By neglecting him for weeks while she ran around, planning out the musical and maybe, possibly staring at her co-director who, though undeniably cute, was not her boyfriend. 

As she approached the gym, she could hear the sound of a basketball reverberating off the floor. The dull  _ thud _ ,  _ thud _ ,  _ thud  _ grew louder as she approached. She paused as she reached the door and debated turning back and retreating to the safety of her classroom. But that was the coward’s way out, and Nini resolved not to be a coward. So she entered the gym. 

EJ’s back was to her. He was wearing a gray t-shirt and black track pants. She could see sweat glistening on the back of his neck as he dribbled, then pivoted, let out a grunt of exertion, and then shot the ball through the hoop. It bounced off the back wall, right past his head, and rolled toward her. EJ turned around and his green eyes locked onto Nini standing in the doorway. 

She stooped and picked up the ball as he slowly made his way toward her. She felt a lump work its way from the pit of her stomach to the back of her throat. All the words - the apologies and the entreaties - left her and all she could manage was a soft, “Are you sure you should be working yourself like that? Your knee…” 

“My knee is fine,” EJ said, but the slight unsteadiness in his gait said otherwise. She’d seen EJ get upset from time-to-time, and she’d seen him blow off steam by shooting hoops. But she’d never seen him work himself to the point that the old injury in his leg started to hurt again. He was usually far more careful. 

“You’re mad,” Nini observed, holding the ball out to him like an offering. 

EJ put his hands on the basketball, and she expected him to rip it out of her grasp. Instead, he pulled it gently toward him. “Yeah. Just a little.” 

“At me?” 

He wouldn’t confirm her suspicions, but when his gaze fell from her face to the black stripes on the ball, she knew the answer. 

“EJ. Babe, I’m sorry,” she said. But the words sounded inadequate, even to her own ears. How could she pack all of her feelings for him into a single apology? “I know the play is taking up a lot of time. I know we haven’t seen each other…”

“You think this is about the play?” EJ interrupted, then shook his head and began to turn away from her.

Nini found herself closing the distance between them, reaching up to rest her hand on his broad shoulder, willing him to turn around. “Then what is it about, EJ?” she asked. 

EJ scoffed in derision. “You really don’t know?” 

She shook her head mutely and he reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone. 

“This isn’t about the play, Nini. It’s about this.” He angled the screen toward her and the picture made her heart sink just a little. It was very clearly a picture of her and Ricky at the coffee shop, sitting at the little round table in the window. She wasn’t sure why she was smiling, or why Ricky was shyly sipping his drink, but she was certain it was because he’d said something funny in an oh-so-Ricky way. And she had to admit that it looked pretty bad. 

“Where did you get that?” she asked.

“What’s it matter?” he retorted.

“EJ,” she said urgently, leveling her warm brown eyes with his green. “That isn’t what you think it is.” She hoped more than anything that he could tell she was being sincere. And yet, at the same time, she felt like she was acting. 

“Oh no? So this isn’t a picture of my girlfriend and her co-director on a coffee date at the same place we used to go to all the time?” 

“No!” Nini protested. “It isn’t. Ricky and I were exhausted after rehearsal yesterday, so we went to get coffee to perk up a bit.”

“Nini,” EJ said, his voice even with hers, “I know I’m not as smart as you. God knows I’m not half as smart as you are. But don’t treat me like an idiot.” 

“EJ, please! I’m telling you that’s all it was. Two friends getting coffee. Two  _ coworkers  _ getting coffee.” 

She was aware of EJ’s eyes scrutinizing her, searching her face for any hint of dishonesty. And though she was being honest, she couldn’t help but feel like she was trying to hide something at the same time. Finally, EJ’s features softened. 

“I’m sorry,” he finally said, letting the basketball drop. It clattered to the floor, bouncing gently a few times before coming to rest. “I’m not trying to be a dick or anything. It’s just…I love you, Nini. You know that, right? You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. So when I thought I lost you to someone else…That’s why I was so upset.” 

She felt a weight lift off her shoulders. “I love you too, EJ. And I promise, no more spontaneous coffee dates with coworkers.” 

The corner of his mouth tweaked upward in a slight smile. “That’s all I ask,” he said. “Are we...okay?” 

Nini nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, we’re...all good.” 

“Good,” he smiled, leaning down and capturing her lips in a kiss. “So you’re still coming over tonight, then? To spend the weekend?” 

She felt mortified that she had forgotten her promise to him. The entire weekend together, just the two of them. “Yeah,” she smiled. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” 

EJ’s smile was broader now. “Good,” he repeated, and leaned in for another kiss.

* * *

“Hey,” Ricky greeted as Nini entered the auditorium. 

“Hi,” she replied distractedly, setting her purse down on the seat between them. 

Ricky frowned. “Everything alright?” 

“Yeah. Fine,” she replied. “Are we starting?” 

“Uh...sure. Listen, if there’s something you wanna talk about…” 

“No,” Nini replied flatly, then let out an exasperated sigh. She felt awful. But at the same time, she had to put some space between herself and Ricky. The last time they’d gotten this close, she’d started spiraling and nearly destroyed her relationship. “Let’s just...start rehearsal? Please?” 

Ricky pursed his lips and nodded. “You got it.” 

They were off to a rocky start. The sound system had cut out midway through Belle’s opening song, forcing Ricky to take over on piano. Then, midway through Act One, a set piece had fallen over, narrowly missing two members of the ensemble. So by the time Mariela was delivering her first monologue, Nini’s mood had plummeted. 

“Hello? Is...is someone there?” Mariela began.

“Pause,” Nini interrupted. Mariela turned toward her. “The line is, ‘Is anyone there?’ Take it from the top.” 

Mariela nodded.

Ricky leaned across the chair between them and said in a hushed tone, “Is it really such a big deal? Someone, anyone. Same thing.” 

“No, it’s not the same thing,” Nini hissed. “She should be off-book by now.” 

“Hello. Is some - anyone there?” Mariela corrected. “I’m…” she trailed off, then remembered her line. “Please! I’m looking for my father.” The girl looked about the stage, her eyes landing on the actor playing Maurice. “Papa!” She dashed across the stage to him and took his hands. “I won’t leave you!” 

There was a long pause. 

“Wait,” Mariela said. “I-I messed up. I’m sorry. It’s ‘your hands are like ice.’ Right?” 

Nini stood up. It was all too much. This show, with this cast. They were a few short weeks from opening night and their lead actress still couldn’t get through a single scene without missing a line or messing something up. “I need to take five,” she declared, picking up her purse.

Ricky stood up, too. “Nini, we’re almost done. Let's just finish this scene and then we can take a break,” he said. 

“Forget it,” Nini said, already halfway up the aisle. “I should’ve known it would be impossible to stage a show with all understudies.” 

Ricky stared after her retreating form, mouth gaping open like a fish out of water. The auditorium door slammed with a resounding thud. He turned to face Mariela, who stood as stiff as a statue, eyes transfixed on the door Nini had just exited through. Then, wordlessly, the girl turned on her heel and fled backstage. 

* * *

Nini was amazed she was able to make it home considering she’d driven the entire way with her vision partially obstructed by tears. It was a mistake. The whole thing had been a mistake. She should have told Gutierrez she couldn’t direct the play. It would probably have been better if Ricky had done it alone, anyway. How could she put her heart into this when it meant destroying her relationship? How could she choose Ricky and this play over the man whom she had loved for a year? Clearly, putting a safe distance between her and Ricky hadn’t gone according to plan. All it had done was make her more on-edge. More irritable. 

Ricky texted her just as she parked outside her condo. 

_ FYI, we kept rehearsing after you left. The kids weren’t in it. I wasn't either tbh.  _

Nini sighed. She felt terrible about how she’d left and what she’d said. It was immature and stupid. But it was just too much. She tapped out a response. She wanted to go into detail. To confess to Ricky that she was worried they were getting too close. To share with him that he was funny and charming and that she loved working with him. She wanted to tell him that it wasn’t anything he or the kids did wrong. That this was on her. But it was too much to get into, especially when she’d promised to put some distance between them for the sake of her relationship. So she was brief.

_ I’m sorry _ .

She hoped Ricky would know she was being sincere. 

His response came seconds later.  _ Anything you want to talk about?  _

_ No _ , she replied. Because there was simply too much to talk about and she wasn’t about to text him a novel. She just wanted to put the whole thing aside, pack up her things, and spend a quiet weekend with EJ. Maybe it would help her refocus. She shut her phone off and went inside. 

Kourtney unlocked the front door and sauntered through the door five minutes later. 

“You know, even though I live alone, I feel like I have a roommate,” Nini said. She’d meant it as a joke, but she was all-too-aware that her tone was a lot more biting than she’d intended. 

“Okay, who took a dump in your Cheerios this morning? Because this attitude thing is not cute.” 

Nini sighed. “I’m sorry, Kourt.”

“Bad day, huh?” 

She nodded. 

Kourtney gestured to the sofa. “Have a seat on the couch and tell Dr. Kourtney all about it.” 

Nini lay down on the sofa and recounted the day to Kourtney. She told her about EJ being upset, about the agreement they’d made. 

“And when I tried to distance myself a little from Ricky, the whole thing just blew up. It was like every little thing was getting on my nerves,” she finished. “I feel so embarrassed, Kourt. I stormed out of rehearsal like a toddler throwing a tantrum.” 

Kourtney nodded sagely. “Maybe every little thing was getting on your nerves to distract you from a much bigger thing that  _ should  _ be on your nerves,” she suggested. 

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean, who the hell does EJ think he is to tell you who you can and can’t get coffee with?” 

“Oh, c’mon Kourtney,” Nini protested. “He kinda has a point. Besides, you know why getting coffee with Ricky was probably a bad idea.” 

“Because you think he’s cute? So what?” Kourtney answered. “It’s not like EJ knows that. And it’s not like you took him home and slept with him after. It was just coffee. Friends get coffee all the time. Where’s the trust?” 

“That’s not the point.”

“It’s absolutely the point!” Kourtney countered. “Getting coffee isn’t cheating! EJ should have enough trust in you to know that. What’re you supposed to do? Get some ugly friends and only get coffee with them?” 

“It’s not like that, Kourt! He’s only upset because he cares. Because he loves me and doesn’t want to lose me.” 

Kourtney let out an exasperated sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Girl, you’re deluding yourself. Straight up. You’re giving off all the textbook red flags for a controlling relationship right now. What’s next? He puts a GPS tracker on your car so he knows where you are at all times?” 

Nini fell silent for a moment.

“Oh my god, tell me he doesn’t already do that.” 

“No! God, no, Kourt. He’s not a monster. He wouldn’t do that.” 

“Even so, Nini. I don’t like that he made you feel like you had to drive a wedge between you and Ricky. I mean, how the hell are you supposed to co-direct a show if you’re worried talking to him will upset EJ?” 

“It’s just a few more weeks,” Nini pointed out. “We can make it.” 

Kourtney fixed her with a look. “Really? Because an hour of it made you lose your cool and storm out of there.” She took Nini’s hand. “If the roles were reversed. If it was me in this situation, what advice would you give me? What would you tell me to do?” 

Nini eyed her best friend and slowly withdrew her hand without saying anything. 

“My point exactly,” Kourtney said.

* * *

Nini finished getting ready and threw her duffel bag in the trunk of her car. Kourtney had tried to get her to cancel on EJ, but she couldn’t. Even if her best friend had a point, she’d promised EJ this weekend, and she hoped it might give her some clarity in the end. Maybe she could talk to him, make him see that she could have a friendship with Ricky without making him jealous. Maybe she could convince him that Ricky was no threat, no competition. Would that be lying? And if so, to whom would she be lying? 

“He tries anything funny, shoot me an SOS text. I’ll beat his door down and take him out myself,” Kourtney said, giving her a hug.

Nini smiled despite herself. “I don’t think that’ll be necessary. You’re the best, Kourt.”

“Don’t you forget it,” her best friend replied.

She reached EJ’s house by 7:30 and parked her car behind his in the driveway. The pathway lights were on and the porchlight glowed a warm yellow against the nearly-set sun. She reached into her bag to fish out the key he’d given her, but he opened the door before she could.

“Hey, babe,” he said, his smile bright. He reached out his hands and pulled her inside. He was wearing a gray button down. He’d put in effort tonight, which was good because so had she.

His lips were on hers the second the door was shut, and she felt the firmness of the wood on her back as he pushed her up against it. For a moment, she allowed it to happen, felt herself tilting her head to allow him access to her neck. But as his hands slid along her waist and then slipped beneath her blouse, she suddenly felt herself recoiling from his touch. 

EJ broke away. “I-is this okay?” he asked, eyes cast down almost shamefully. She remembered the shyness with which he’d asked her that question the first time she’d spent the night. She had laughed then, assuring him at each step that it was okay. That she wanted this as badly as he did. Now, though, there was no laughter. No reassurance. His touch had left goosebumps on her skin, but they felt different than before. 

“Y-yeah, it’s fine,” Nini mumbled.

“We can stop,” EJ said, slowly withdrawing his hands. 

“It’s just...maybe we should eat first?” Nini suggested, and he nodded. 

Later that night, when EJ asked again, Nini told him that it was okay. She didn’t pull away from him. But long after they finished, when EJ was sleeping fitfully beside her, his arms wrapped around her bare midriff, she found herself unable to fall asleep. Slowly, she pried herself from his arms and rolled to the far end of the mattress, pulling the blanket tightly around her to keep herself warm.


	14. Chapter 14

Ricky Bowen knew there was only one cure for a bad day. Ice cream. True, honest-to-god ice cream, too. Not the vegan ice cream that Big Red insisted on stocking because dairy upset his stomach too much. He wanted a pint of mint chocolate chip. Maybe a quart. And he had no plans of sharing it with his roommate. Ice cream had been there for Ricky when his parents split up. It had been there for him through every breakup and every fling that he thought would develop into something more. And it would be there for him now, when the musical he’d poured his heart and soul into, the production he’d spent so long preparing for, came crashing down around him for reasons he couldn’t quite fathom. Nini wasn’t answering his texts, and he had run out of questions to ask. 

“Ricky?” 

The music teacher wheeled around almost guiltily, letting the tub of Ben and Jerry’s fall back into the freezer on its side. Gina stood before him, head tilted in slight confusion. She eyed the upended ice cream container. 

“Rough day?” 

“No,” Ricky shook his head defensively. “I, uh, just really love ice cream.” 

Gina nodded her head disbelievingly as she opened the freezer door next to him and grabbed a pint of rocky road. “Me too,” she said. “But I don’t usually buy a container for myself unless I’m going through it. I heard about Nini and the play today.” 

Ricky sighed in defeat and picked up the container he’d dropped. “How’d you hear about it?” he asked. 

Gina shrugged and deposited her ice cream carton into her cart. “I overheard some of the kids talking about it as I was leaving. Why’d she storm out?” 

“I don’t know if she stormed out, really,” Ricky found himself defending his co-director despite being more than just a little annoyed with her. “It’s crunch time, you know? We’re all a little frustrated. Tensions are running high.” 

The math teacher tsk’d. “It’s such a shame,” she said, pulling a bottle of Hershey’s chocolate syrup off an end cap and dropping it into her cart. “I thought you guys were doing pretty well. You know, given what you had to work with. It sucks that it’s all falling apart now.” 

“I don’t know if it’s falling apart…” Ricky began, but Gina gave him a look that made him reconsider. Was it really falling apart? 

“Hang in there,” she advised as she began to wheel her cart down the aisle.

“Hey, Gina?” 

She wheeled around to face Ricky. 

“Why’re you having a rough day?” 

She looked at him in confusion. 

“You said you don’t buy a container of ice cream for yourself unless you’re going through it. You know why I’m going through it. What’s up with you?” 

The woman glanced at the ice cream in her cart and let out a self-conscious laugh, her features softening. “Oh! Uh...,” she shook her head. “I’m fine.” She offered him a reassuring smile. “Enjoy your weekend, Ricky.” 

* * *

Big Red had the TV tuned to a Real Housewives rerun when Ricky got home. As much as his roommate professed to be hate-watching the show, he was always a little too invested, but he looked up when Ricky entered the living room and even paused the show as Ricky pried off his shoes with a sigh. 

“Whoa. You look like hell.”

“Thanks,” Ricky said flatly, heading straight to the kitchen for a spoon and dropping down onto the armchair with his Ben and Jerry’s. 

“And ice cream? Did someone die?” 

“Not some _ one _ ,” Ricky said. “Something.”

“Something being…?” Big Red pressed. 

“The show, Red. The musical.”

“They pulled the plug?”

“No, but they may as well. Nini walked out of rehearsal today.” Ricky recounted the afternoon: how Nini had seemed peeved, Mariela’s faltering delivery of her lines, and how his co-director eventually walked out. He told his roommate about what Nini had said about being unable to work with understudies, and how the entire rehearsal had fallen apart afterwards. 

“That’s messed up,” Big Red said when he had finished. 

“Yeah,” Ricky bit out. But as annoyed as he was at Nini’s actions, he found himself unable to be truly angry at her. He knew Nini, and it wasn’t at all like her to abandon a rehearsal or say something so insensitive. “Something’s up,” he added, eyes cast down at the rug, tracing the pattern of its fibers. “It’s gotta be. Why else would Nini act this way?” 

“Maybe you should ask her.”

“I tried,” Ricky said. “But she’s not answering. I dunno. I thought she’d tell me. I thought we had something, y’know?” He caught his best friend’s look. “Not, like, romantically. But like, as friends.”

“Sure,” Big Red replied. “You know, it’s okay to be upset about it, Ricky. I know you liked her.” 

“As  _ friends _ ,” Ricky emphasized.

“Dude. It’s 7 PM and you’re on the couch eating an entire container of ice cream. That’s not something you do if you have a falling-out with a friend.” 

“Whatever,” Ricky relented, digging his spoon into the green, unmarred surface of his ice cream. “It doesn’t matter either way. Nini walked out and I don’t know if she’s ever coming back. So I guess we’re gonna have to pack it in and cancel the show. There’s no way we can do it without her.”

Big Red blinked exaggeratedly fast. “I’m sorry. I must’ve misheard you,” he said.

Ricky paused and looked at his roommate quizzically, the spoon arrested halfway to his mouth. 

“I thought we’d been over this,” Big Red continued. “I thought we’d gotten past the giving-up stage.”

“Yeah, well that was before my co-director basically quit in the middle of a rehearsal,” Ricky answered, shoving the spoon into his mouth. He’d forgotten the curative powers of mint chocolate chip. 

“No way,” Big Red thundered, jumping up from his seat. “I didn’t want to do this, Richard Bowen, but you’ve forced my hand.”

Ricky dipped his spoon back into the container, but Big Red snatched it away. “Hey!” he cried, swiping for the utensil. 

“Remember when Kaden and Steffi built that sick makeshift halfpipe on the top floor of the parking deck in college? And everyone said it was impossible to ride it? Did you give up?” 

Ricky fought the grin that inevitably wormed its way onto his face. It  _ had  _ been a pretty sick halfpipe, even if it was built dangerously close to the side of the parking garage. “No,” he said. 

“And when the registrar’s office messed up your credits and said you probably wouldn’t graduate on-time? Did you give up?” 

“No,” Ricky said, his voice more resolute this time. He’d waited nearly three hours in the registrar’s office while they gave him the runaround, but he’d eventually spoken with the registrar herself and she’d fixed his credit total on the spot. 

“And what about when you got on a plane to the Philippines with no experience, no place to live, and next-to-no-money? Did you give up, get back on the plane, and come home?” 

“No!” Ricky said, rising to his feet. 

“Or when the doctors said they’d never be able to remove that weird wart on my butt. Did you let me give up?” 

“No!” Ricky paused, wrinkling his nose. “But also, gross, dude. That’s one memory I could’ve gone without reliving.” 

Big Red shrugged. “My point is, Ricky, you’ve never given up. Ever. And you’ve never let anyone around you give up either. Even when it seems like the easier, safer option. So you can’t give up now.”

“Except it’s not just me,” Ricky pointed out. “It’s Nini, too. Without her, the kids don’t want to go on.” He felt like he’d just gotten a divorce from his co-director, and he was now trying to figure out how to break it to their nearly forty children. 

“Then you need to find a way to make them,” Red advised.

“How?” 

“A wise man once told me, ‘there’s no such thing as can’t sing.’” 

Ricky sighed. He had been the one to tell that to Big Red. It was his mantra all through college. 

“Remember why you became a music teacher in the first place. It wasn’t because you wanted to coach the next generation of Broadway legends and pop sensations. It was because you believe anyone can be a musician.”

“How does that help me now, though?” 

“The kids are never gonna come around if you aren’t passionate yourself,” Big Red answered. “You gotta find that passion again. And then you gotta pass it on to them. Nini or not, if you can get them back into it, the rest will work out.” 

Ricky nodded, considering his roommate’s words. “I think I know what to do,” he said finally.

Big Red smiled. “That’s my best friend,” he said, handing the spoon back, but Ricky closed the ice cream container and put it back in the freezer.

* * *

“All musical cast members, please be advised. Today’s rehearsal will be in the music room, not the auditorium. All cast members must attend.” 

Ricky glanced up at the loudspeaker as the announcement came on at the end of the day. He couldn’t fight the smile that spread across his face as the bell rang and his freshman band class scattered around him, sheet music fluttering and instrument cases clattering. 

Ricky set about arranging the chairs in a large circle. He didn’t know if Nini would show up. He’d seen her car in the parking lot, but he hadn’t seen her all day. But he hoped she would, just like he hoped her exit on Friday wouldn’t cause a mass exodus of cast members altogether. 

Slowly, a few members of the ensemble filtered in tentatively, taking seats. They seemed surprised rehearsal was even on at all. And then, gradually, Noah and Rynn arrived. Then Marcus. And ten minutes after school ended, Mariela ducked her head shyly into the room, her long hair falling into her face. She scurried quickly to a seat and sat. Ricky checked the time. No sign of Nini. Finally, fifteen minutes after the bell, he sighed. The students were silent, their wide eyes staring at him for guidance. He decided to start. 

“Okay, guys. I know Friday was a bit of a bump. And I know we’re probably feeling pretty crappy right about now,” he began. “So we’re gonna try something a bit different.” 

His eyes fell on Mariela, who looked ready to bolt from the room altogether. 

“We aren’t going to sing anything from the show. We aren’t going to run sides or do choreography.”

Rynn raised her hand. “Then what  _ are  _ we doing, exactly?” she asked.

“And where’s Ms. Salazar-Roberts?” Noah questioned.

“She quit, didn’t she?” Marcus added. 

Ricky let out a small sigh of exasperation. “Guys!” he said. “Look, I don’t know where Ms. Salazar-Roberts is, or if she’s coming today, or tomorrow, or ever. But the show must go on. And I know you guys can do it. So today, we’re just gonna sing.” 

“I thought you said we weren’t doing music from the show today,” Rynn pointed out.

“We’re not,” Ricky replied. The students glanced around at one another in confusion. “Today, we’re gonna have a jam session.”

“What’s that?” one of the ensemble members asked.

“I just want you guys to sing,” Ricky said. “Sing anything. Sing a song you love. Sing a song you sound  _ awesome  _ rocking out in the shower to. Sing alone, sing in groups, sing different things all at once. Sing  _ The Itsy Bitsy Spider  _ for all I care. Just sing something that makes you feel good.” 

He looked out at the circle of eyes staring at him silently. He caught sight of motion by the door and spotted Nini staring in at the group through the window. 

“Fine, I’ll start,” he said. He’d figured they wouldn’t be onboard right away. He racked his brain for a song everyone would know, and finally settled on a song from  _ Grease _ .    


“I got chills. They’re multiplying…” He trailed off for a moment. No one moved. “And I’m losing control.” He paused again, hoping someone - anyone - would jump in with him. “‘Cause the power you’re supplying...It’s electrifying.” He stopped. For a moment, it felt like no one even blinked and he began to regret taking Big Red’s advice. It was stupid. Of course they wouldn’t all magically regain their confidence with a jam session. “Guys,” he began, but he was interrupted by a voice in the doorway.

“You better shape up, ‘cause I need a man. And my heart is set on you…” Ricky turned in surprise as Nini walked tentatively toward the circle, her voice trembling a little as she tried to hold out each note. Whispers went up among the students. “You better shape up… You better understand that to my heart I must be true…”

Ricky couldn’t stop the grin that broke out on his face as Nini paused just outside the circle of chairs. He held her eyes for a moment, and then they broke into the chorus in unison. At this, the cast began to smile. Some snapped or clapped their hands, or drummed on the bottoms of their chairs. Others vocalized, adding improvised harmonies. By the time the song ended, the entire room was swaying, clapping, singing, and smiling. 

“ _ That’s  _ what I’m talking about!” Ricky whooped as the song came to an end, and immediately Rynn popped up to start “Summer Lovin _ ’ _ ”, joined very quickly by Noah and then the rest of the cast. 

Midway through, a group of ensemble members shifted to “Gimme, Gimme,” which divided the room into dueling voices that eventually devolved into “Anything You Can Do,” until they finally coalesced once more around “Popular.” By then, the cast had fallen into fits of laughter and their voices eventually faded out until Marcus stood in the center of the room and began his best rendition of  _ The Fresh Prince  _ theme song that set the room roaring. 

Ricky stood off to the side, basking in the energy. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Nini carefully take a seat, observing pensively. The students gradually shifted to “Bang Bang,” which resulted in a string of pop songs that eventually lapsed into “My Heart Will Go On,” complete with whistling. 

By the time the students sat down, they were winded and giddy from all the laughing and Ricky was certain the jam session had come to a close. As he prepared to say something, Mariela slowly stood up. The rest of the cast quieted immediately, and at first her voice was so hushed that no one could make out what she was saying. 

“...I dreamed a dream in times gone by. When hope was high and life worth living…” Her voice began to build in volume. “I dreamed that love would never die. I dreamed that god would be forgiving.” Mariela built steadily toward a crescendo, until the only sound in the room was her voice, crystal clear and echoing off the perforated walls. Ricky’s jaw hit the floor. When the girl finished, she sat down, a satisfied grin on her face as the flabbergasted students burst into thunderous applause. Ricky was the last to finish clapping. 

“That’s it!” he said excitedly. “You guys! You just delivered a spontaneous concert. And if you can do that, this musical is gonna be a piece of cake!” 

He watched as the cast exchanged grins. 

“Go home, guys,” Ricky said. “Rest up. You’ve earned it. Tomorrow, I want you all to bring this energy to the auditorium. We’re gonna crush it.” 

When the last student filtered out of the room, Ricky turned to Nini. She hadn’t moved from her seat, but she was worrying her bottom lip. 

“I wasn’t sure you were gonna show,” he confessed, sitting down beside her. 

Nini stared at her hands in her lap. “I owe you an apology,” she said. “For everything I said on Friday. For leaving you high and dry. I just… I was frustrated for a lot of reasons, some of them not even related to the show.” 

Ricky turned sympathetic eyes on his co-director. “Wanna talk about it?” 

Nini shook her head. “I’m just...figuring stuff out. But the point is, I shouldn’t have taken it out on you and the kids. It wasn’t fair of me. I lost my cool. And at one point, I was ready to quit the show altogether. I was thinking about it, even on my way down here.” 

“And now?” Ricky asked, feeling his heartbeat quicken.

Nini’s eyes were glassy and she managed a tight smile. “How could I ever quit this? Ricky, you did it! You got through to them. And the joy and passion in this room today… It’s…”

“Inspiring?” he finished.

“Yes,” Nini said, allowing a single tear to fall from her eye and make its way down her cheek. She couldn’t tell if they were tears of joy, relief, or regret for her own actions, but soon another one fell from her eyes. Then another. And another. Ricky reached for a box of tissues and handed them to her.

“Thanks,” she said sheepishly, sniffling. When she finally regained her composure, she looked to her co-director earnestly. “I really am sorry, Ricky. And I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to kick me off the production altogether. But if it’s alright with you, I want to stay. I want to co-direct.” 

Relief flooded Ricky’s veins. “Are you kidding? There’s no way I could do this without you.” 

“I think today’s performance proves otherwise,” she grinned. “I think you give yourself too little credit.” 

“See? I need you around to remind me,” he grinned, and Nini returned the smile. “I’m glad to have you back, Nini.”

“I’m glad to be back. I felt awful all weekend about how I left things.” 

“You know, you might want to talk to Mariela, though. I know she took what you said pretty hard. And she may have her confidence now, but I think she would really appreciate it if you talked to her one-on-one.” 

Nini nodded vigorously. “I will. I owe her an apology at the very least. Are we good?” she asked Ricky. He saw pleading in her eyes. It was an unfamiliar look. 

“Of course we’re good,” he said. He wanted to hug her, because she looked like she could use it. Were they hugging friends? He decided to go for it, wrapping his arms around her slender shoulders and squeezing reassuringly. For a moment, Nini tensed up, but she gradually relaxed and leaned her head against his shoulder briefly. 

“Thanks, Ricky,” she finally said as he let go. She stood up, an odd look on her face. She offered him another tight smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” 

“See you tomorrow,” Ricky confirmed as he walked her out and turned off the lights. He was almost out the door when he realized he’d forgotten his backpack in his office. He told Nini to go on ahead and went back for it. 

As he made his way back down the hall, he was surprised to see the gym doors open and the lights still on inside. Any sports practices should have ended by then. As he drew closer, he heard hushed voices coming from within.

“...I’m telling you, Nini was off this weekend.” 

Ricky slowed down at the mention of his co-director’s name. He recognized the voice as EJ’s. 

“What do you mean?” It took him a minute to place Gina’s voice responding. 

“She was just so distant. We spent the whole weekend together and she could barely even sit next to me. We went too far,” EJ said. “The sets and budget and all were already pretty bad. But this? You should’ve seen how upset she was about storming out. Said it was all the stress of trying to get the understudies prepared. I’m worried about her sanity.” 

Ricky felt his heartbeat slamming against his chest as he stopped just out of view of the open gym doors. 

“What do you want to do, EJ? Come clean? Tell her that you helped conspire against her because you thought she was getting too cozy with her co-director? Do you think she would ever forgive you?” 

“I don’t know!” EJ said. 

There was a long pause, and then Gina said slowly, “I’ve been thinking about it a lot, too. And the more I think about it, the more I realize how messed up it is. But it’s too late now. You know that, right?” 

EJ sighed. “I know.” 

“We just have to wait for it to blow over. I’m sure between her and Ricky, they’ll be able to pull  _ something  _ off. And once that happens, it’ll all be forgotten and we can all carry on as normal.” 

“I hope so,” EJ said, his voice getting closer. 

Ricky jumped into action, moving as quickly and quietly as he could back down the hall, his backpack forgotten.

What were they talking about? Had EJ and Gina really been responsible for everything that had gone wrong with the show? How was that even possible? And what had Gina meant about him and Nini getting too cozy? Ricky’s head felt like it was spinning at a million miles an hour as he pushed the exit doors open and burst out into the cool night air. He spotted Nini’s taillights retreating from the parking lot and let out a puff of breath. He had wanted to tell her what he heard. Maybe she could shed some light on it, convince him he wasn’t as crazy as he felt. 

He reached into his phone and hastily typed out a text message to her. 

_ Hey. Can we talk? Call me when you get this. _


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it looks like I'll be working from home for the foreseeable future thanks to this coronavirus, which means I'll hopefully have a bit more free time to work on this story, too. Expect more updates as we approach the finale! Thank you all so much for the feedback so far. I appreciate each and every read, kudos, and review. Stay safe and well out there, ya'll!

“Are you sure?” Nini felt like an idiot for asking. Of course Ricky was sure. He wouldn’t make an accusation like this if he wasn’t sure. 

“I...I’m pretty sure, Nini,” he answered, and she could hear the trepidation in his voice even over the phone. She could picture him, too. One hand resting on his temple or pinching the bridge of his nose, eyes screwed shut in a mixture of confusion and regret and the consideration that he might be hearing things and going crazy.

“Maybe you misheard. Or misinterpreted?” It was a lame excuse, but her head was reeling and she couldn’t quite make it stop. EJ and Gina conspiring to sabotage them? It would definitely explain some things, like half their budget mysteriously being funnelled to Gina’s club. 

“Nini, I’m sorry,” Ricky’s voice pulled her out of her own mind. “I swear that’s what it sounded like. He was telling her they’d gone too far and she was telling him to let it all blow over. I don’t know how else to interpret it. He  _ literally  _ mentioned the props and the budget. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had something to do with our leads dropping out, too.”

“Ricky…” she hesitated. Could EJ have really done something like this? And if so, how was she supposed to feel about it? What was she supposed to do? “Let’s talk about it tomorrow? I just need some time to think.” 

“Yeah! Yeah,” Ricky answered, almost too quickly. “I’ll, uh, see you tomorrow.” 

“Good night,” Nini said.

“‘Night,” he breathed, and then hung up.

Nini slumped against the back of the couch and released a long, slow exhale. She debated taking an Advil, just to make her head stop pounding so much. Maybe it would make the room spin less, too. Kourtney’s words kept playing and replaying in her mind. Was EJ really controlling? Was he the type to put a GPS tracker on her car? An hour ago, she would have vehemently denied it. But she wasn’t sure what to think anymore. She wanted to call EJ and confront him with the accusations immediately, but she lost her nerve. What if she was wrong? What if Ricky had misheard? 

It wasn’t so long ago that EJ had flung a baseless accusation about her and Ricky, based off a single out-of-context photo, and she remembered how much it stung. She couldn’t bring herself to do the same to him. And yet, something else was bothering her. Something that had been playing on her mind since EJ had first confronted her with the picture. Where had he gotten it in the first place?

And then she remembered what Ricky had said. That he could’ve sworn he saw Gina in a car outside that day. And it all made sense.

* * *

Nini went to bed before ten that night, but she was still awake at two, tossing and turning. The sheets were too warm, so she kicked them off of her. But then the room became too cold, and she drew them up again. She let out a frustrated puff of breath as she rolled over for the umpteenth time. 

She debated a hundred ways to approach EJ about the subject. She could go in guns blazing, catch him completely off-guard and see what he had to say for himself. Or perhaps she could guilt-trip him. Thank him for being so supportive of the show until he couldn’t bear it anymore and broke down with the truth. She could do nothing, which sounded like the most appealing option. She could let the whole thing play out. Maybe EJ would confess. Maybe Gina would. And she would respond accordingly. 

But she couldn’t deny something had changed. She had realized it while she lay beside EJ that weekend, wide awake as he slept fitfully. She had once adored sleeping beside him, had loved his peaceful expression and the way his long eyelashes fluttered from time to time as his breathing came deep and even. She had never slept better than when she could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest against her back and his strong arms encircling her waist. But the previous weekend had been different. His actions, his demeanor, the way he treated her had all been the same. And yet, somehow, she had found his touch intolerable, and she didn’t know what to make of it. 

* * *

Nini sought Ricky out first thing the following morning, fighting against her pounding headache as she made her way down the fluorescent-lighted hall and pulled the music room door open. She found her co-director in his office, delicately replacing a broken string on a violin. 

“Hey,” he said without looking up, his gaze laser-focused on the instrument. When he finally hazarded a glance at her, he seemed taken aback. “Whoa. You feeling alright?” 

Nini was aware of just how bedraggled she must look. She had barely had time to run a comb through her hair, and the dark bags under her eyes looked more like bruises. “I didn’t sleep.” 

The young man looked remorseful. “Because of what I told you?”

Nini nodded, but there was no resentment in her eyes. There was no resentment anywhere in her body. Not for Ricky. He was just the messenger and clearly something had been wrong between her and EJ for much longer than she cared to admit. “I just keep thinking… I don’t know how to bring it up to him.” 

Ricky crossed to her side and closed a gentle hand around her shoulder. “You don’t have to,” he said. “That’s your choice. I could just as easily bring it up to EJ. Or to Gina. I don’t mind.” 

It was tempting. It was so tempting to sit back and let Ricky handle the dilemma. Let him confront the alleged co-conspirators and let him deal with whatever fallout resulted. It was the safer option. But it was also the coward’s way out. She had to be the one to talk to EJ. He was still her boyfriend, after all. She said as much to Ricky, who simply nodded.

“If that’s what you wanna do,” he said, “then I’ve got your back.” 

* * *

Nini took Mariela aside shortly after rehearsal began. She had approached the teenager cautiously, as if the slightest motion might spook her. She had told Ricky she would be borrowing their lead under the auspices of helping her polish her dialogue, but the soft smile on Ricky’s face indicated he knew the real reason. Nini had been wracked with guilt ever since she’d inadvertently shaken Mariela’s confidence with her words of frustration. And she knew she had to make it right. 

“Ms. Salazar-Roberts,” Mariela began as soon as they were safely in Nini’s classroom, “I don’t think I can do this. I-I think I need to drop out.”

Nini sighed, softening her features and leveling her gaze with the student. “Mariela, that’s not true.” 

“I’m sorry,” the teenager continued. “I’ve been thinking it over and, well, I feel like I’m just dragging everyone else down. I can barely say my lines and even with the mics cranked all the way up, they still don’t register my voice… I wasn’t even supposed to be Belle. I’m just the understudy.”

Nini winced. Every other bad turn of events could be attributed to something else - quite possibly EJ and Gina. But this? This was all her. Mariela was only repeating the sentiments she’d expressed. And what right did Nini have to say what she did that day? Hadn’t she been an understudy, too? 

“Mariela,” Nini began. “I owe you an apology. And I’ve been trying to think of the right way to phrase this for a little while now. What I said the other day? I was frustrated, and I handled it poorly. I said some things in anger that I didn’t mean. You are capable. More than capable. So capable, in fact, that Mr. Bowen and I knew you’d be able to step up if push came to shove. That’s why we made you the understudy for the lead.” 

Mariela shook her head and sighed. “You were right, though,” she said quietly. “You can’t stage a show with all understudies. Especially when I’m the lead. I only got her because Abby dropped out.” 

“I was wrong,” Nini shook her head. “I was wrong to say it, and I was wrong to even think it for a second. Want to know a secret?” 

Mariela nodded, her dark eyes wide and trained on Nini’s face attentively. 

“I was an understudy for basically my entire high school acting career,” Nini confessed. “And I used to feel ashamed of it. And then, one day, the lead in my drama camp’s production of  _ The Music Man  _ got food poisoning and I had to go on for her. And I felt kind of like you do now. Like I was an impostor for being there. Like her bad luck was the only reason that I got to go on at all. But after the show, I realized that there shouldn’t be any shame in being an understudy. Because without us, the show wouldn’t go on. And there’s no shame in stepping up when you’re needed. I guess what I’m saying is… Things happen for a reason. Sometimes the universe hands us an opportunity, and seizing it doesn’t make us any less valid. Sometimes, it helps us grow into who we’re meant to be. This show, working with all of you, has taught me that. So be proud of yourself, Mariela. Even when there are doubters. Even when I’m one of them. You showed me I was wrong, and you’ll show them, too.”

Mariela straightened up in her seat.

“What do you say?” Nini ventured. “Wanna give it another go?”

The teen nodded. “I wasn’t going to tell you, but I’ve been rehearsing and I think I’m mostly off-book now.”

Nini looked at the lead with an astonished smile. “Then why are you carrying your script?” 

Mariela shrugged. “In case I forget?” 

The director laughed, standing and practically hauling the girl to her feet. “What do you mean ‘in case you forget?’ You won’t! C’mon!”

Together, they dashed down the hallway and made their way to the auditorium, where Ricky was giving notes to some of the ensemble. Nini blew in like a tornado, practically shoving her co-director out of the way. He let out a surprised laugh. 

“Act One, Scene One,” Nini panted. Ricky looked bewildered. “Act One, Scene One!” She repeated, smiling encouragingly at Mariela. “We gotta run it. Right now!”

“But Seb -”

“Right now,” Nini ushered Mariela onstage. “Trust me.” 

Ricky threw his hands up, lips twitching into an amused smirk. “Alright, you heard Ms. Salazar-Roberts. Act One, Scene One.” 

* * *

“When did she get off-book?” Ricky asked in amazement as Mariela delivered line after line. 

Nini held up the girl’s script. “She said she’d been rehearsing for a while. I think she just needed a little confidence boost to believe she didn’t need this.” 

There were still a few minor hiccups - missed cues and misspoken lines, but the cast successfully ran all of Act One with Mariela at the helm, finally holding her own. Ricky and Nini gave them a standing ovation when they’d finished. 

“Alright, guys,” Ricky announced, “before we get out of here today, there is one more order of business. Our lines are in good shape. Our voices sound amazing. And Mr. Matthew-Smith is here to help us perfect our footwork.” 

Seb appeared from behind the stage curtain, clad in shimmering blue pants and a white t-shirt, his vintage glasses perched across the bridge of his nose. He waved triumphantly with both hands. “Last time I was here, we got off on the wrong  _ foot _ ,” Seb said. No one laughed, but that didn’t seem to deter him. “But I’ve worked out some new choreography that’s going to make you all shine without tripping you up. Trust me?”

There were a few tentative nods.

“Now your director - one of them, anyway - says he can’t dance,” Seb grinned at Ricky, who returned his smile gamely. “To prove to you that anyone can pull this off, he’s going to learn it with you guys!” 

“I am?” 

The cast cheered as Nini gave her co-director a playful nudge toward center-stage. 

Ricky smiled out at the students. “I am! And, to help me out, Ms. Salazar-Roberts is also going to learn the choreography!” 

Nini faked a shocked, offended look as she stepped out onstage to join him. He shot her a playful smirk. “Joke’s on you,” Nini whispered. “I can actually dance.” 

“I guess we’ll see,” Ricky replied. 

“Challenge accepted.” 

As promised, Seb’s choreography was significantly easier this time, though it still contained enough flair to be entertaining. Nevertheless, Ricky struggled to keep up as Nini literally danced circles around him, at one point hip-checking him playfully until everyone had devolved into fits of laughter. 

“I think we can call it here,” Ricky announced. “Go home and get some well-earned rest, guys.”

* * *

“That was our best rehearsal yet,” Nini said once the students had cleared out. She slung her purse over her shoulder and rummaged for her car keys as they made their way up the aisle to the back of the auditorium.

“We might just pull this off after all,” Ricky said.

“Never doubted.”

“You kinda doubted.”

“Fine,” Nini admitted. “But I was proven wrong. By these kids. And by you most of all.” 

“What’d I do?” Ricky asked, slowing his pace. 

Nini slowed to match him. “You never gave up,” she said. “Even when I was ready to quit, you still kept trying. The other day with that jam session? It was ingenious!” 

Her co-director blushed just a little, the tips of his ears tinged with red. “I did what I had to do,” he shrugged modestly.

“You didn’t have to,” Nini shook her head. “But you did anyway. So thanks. You helped me remember why I did this in the first place.”

The pair found themselves standing just outside the school entrance. Glancing across the parking lot, Nini could make out Gina’s black sedan and a tall, dark-haired figure that was unmistakably EJ standing at the driver’s side window. 

“You sure you wanna do this?” Ricky asked. “I could go with you…”

Nini clenched and unclenched her fists. “He’s my boyfriend. If he owes anyone an explanation, it’s me,” she said. 

Ricky nodded. “Good luck,” he said. “I’ll be around so call me… Or text me. Whatever. If you need to.”

His words barely registered. Nini could already feel the blood heating in her veins, the surge of adrenaline coursing through her. Her head pulsed slightly as she stalked across the parking lot. Gina noticed her approach, rolled up her window, and pulled away. Every option for how to confront EJ swirled around Nini’s head, but they all went out the window the second he turned to face her, trying to force a look of confusion.

“Nini -” he began, but she cut him off.

“Where did you get the picture?” 

“What?” 

“Who sent it to you?” 

“Babe, what are you talking about?” EJ placed a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged him off. 

“Answer the question.” 

“I don’t even know-” 

“That picture! The one you showed me when you thought I was cheating on you with Ricky. Who sent it to you?” 

“Oh! That picture,” EJ forced a laugh, but the look on her face told him she was anything but amused. “I, uh… Well, actually…” 

“Was it Gina?” Nini blurted. 

“Gina?” EJ stammered. “Why would Gina-” 

Nini’s hands fell to her hips. “Ricky overheard you and Gina talking in the gym the other day about how you’d gone too far.” The color drained from EJ’s face. “I didn’t want to believe him when he told me. Because you’re my boyfriend. You love me. You say it all the time. So why would you want to sabotage something that means so much to me. But then I remembered that picture. And wouldn’t you know it? Guess who Ricky happened to see outside the coffee shop that day?” 

“Gina,” EJ said, his voice barely a whisper. 

“Why, EJ?” Nini demanded. She could feel her throat constricting and the backs of her eyes starting to sting as the tears worked their way forward, but she forced them back. She refused to cry in front of him. 

“Nini, I can explain,” EJ said urgently, hands finding perches on her shoulders once more. Again, she forced them off. 

“Start explaining.” 

“It’s just that… Well, you were spending so much time on the musical. And with Ricky. And I saw the way you were looking at him… 

“The way I was looking at him?” She felt momentarily guilty, until she remembered what EJ had done.

“Yes, the way you were looking at him! The way you would smile and laugh at everything he said. The way you looked at him like he was the only person in the room. I was afraid I was losing you, Nini. I was scared that you’d realize how much better you could do than me. It was Gina’s idea to sabotage the production. She was worried that if she couldn’t get her enrollment up, Gutierrez would cancel her clubs. She asked if I’d help her. I didn’t want to, babe. I really didn’t. But I didn’t know how else to avoid losing you so...I agreed.

We moved the sets to the garbage pile so they’d get thrown out. And when that didn’t work, Gina entered her team in the Four Corners Bowl so that she could divert some of the funding. And when that still didn’t work, she suggested we convince the leads to drop. Abby and Katie were both on scholastic decathlon last year, and they were both really good. She recruited them to be co-captains if they’d drop out of the musical. And I told the boys that if they wanted to keep their starter status on the team, they couldn’t afford to miss practice for rehearsals. Nini, you gotta believe me. I didn’t want to do it. But Gina was just  _ so  _ in my head about you and Ricky, and...I was spiraling.” He cast his eyes down at the asphalt, unable to meet hers. In any other situation, the remorse and terror and shame etched into his face would have moved Nini to pity. But it only served to stoke her anger now. 

“I can’t believe you, EJ. I can’t believe you’d really… Of course I was spending time with Ricky! He’s my  _ co-director _ . You’re my boyfriend! I thought you would trust me a little more than that. And if you didn’t, you should’ve said something to me. What happened to communicating?” 

When EJ didn’t answer, she pressed on, “For weeks I’ve been defending you. To Ricky. To Kourtney. To myself. And this whole time you’ve been stabbing me in the back. And, and telling me you love me while you did it?”

Nini’s face was flushed red with anger. She felt dizzy. She wanted to throw up. 

“I didn’t want to lose you,” EJ repeated softly, still fixing his gaze at the parallel white lines of the parking space they were standing in. 

Nini let out a scornful laugh. “Well you did.” She started toward her car and EJ dashed to catch up to her. 

“Nini, wait. Please! I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry, Nini. Give me a chance to make this right. I know I was wrong.” 

“Then you know why I can’t give you a second chance,” Nini said, opening her car door. “What you did was unforgivable, EJ.” 

Desperation flashed in his eyes. “Don’t say that, Nini,” his voice broke. 

“I can’t. I’m done. We’re done.” Nini sat down and shut her door. She didn’t let the tears start to flow until she was certain EJ couldn’t see her anymore.

* * *

The first person she tried contacting was Kourtney. The phone rang for what felt like an eternity, until finally her machine picked up. “Hey, it’s Kourtney. Leave your name and number and I’ll get back to you.”  _ Beep _ . 

Nini sighed and hung up the phone. She debated calling her moms. They’d find out eventually, and when they did, they’d be heartbroken, too. EJ had made a very good impression on them in their year of dating, and she wasn’t sure she would be able to shatter her moms’ image of him with the truth. 

With a sigh, she tried one other number, hesitant because she didn’t want to be a bother.

Ricky picked up on the second ring. “Hey, you alright?” he asked, and the sincere concern in his voice was enough to break her. 

“No,” Nini admitted. “We broke up.” 

“Oh.” There was a long silence, and then, “Nini, I’m sorry.” 

She forced a choked, watery laugh. “Don’t be. It’s for the best.” 

“You’re allowed to be sad about it, you know. Even if you think it’s for the best.” 

And the truth was, she  _ was  _ sad about it. Even though EJ had betrayed her, accused her of going behind his back while simultaneously going behind hers. Even though he had sabotaged her, caused everything to fall apart around her. Even through all of that, she still missed him. She still mourned the relationship. And it made her angry that she did. 

“Look, if you don’t wanna be alone right now, you can always come here,” Ricky offered. “Big Red’s out right now.” 

Nini hesitated. She didn’t want to impose, but she also knew she didn’t want to be alone. “Are you sure?” 

“Of course,” Ricky said gently. 

It took only ten minutes for Nini to arrive at the apartment above the skate shop. Ricky greeted her at the door and she immediately collapsed into his arms, her sobs overtaking her. He caught her and held her for a moment, rubbing one comforting hand along her back. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. 

“Me too,” she replied.

* * *

Ricky pressed a glass of water into Nini’s hand once she’d settled onto the couch. “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked.

Nini let out a chuckle despite herself. “What else can we do?” 

“Anything,” Ricky offered. “Watch a movie. Sit in silence.”

“We can talk about it,” Nini affirmed. 

Ricky was quiet for a moment. “Why’d they do it?” he finally asked.

Nini let out a bitter snort. “EJ or Gina?” 

“Either. Both,” Ricky answered.

Nini summed up what EJ had said: how Gina was afraid that low enrollment would mean the cancellation of her clubs, and how she’d planned to steal members from the musical to help boost her numbers. She was hesitant to tell him about EJ, though, since it indirectly involved Ricky too. Finally, with Ricky sitting quietly beside her, not pressing her to say anything more, she worked up the nerve to tell him, and to admit to herself that maybe there had been something in the way she looked at her co-director. Maybe EJ did have a reason to be jealous. 

“EJ was afraid of losing me,” she sighed, unable to look directly at Ricky, though she could sense him sitting up a little straighter. “He was afraid of losing me to you.” 

“To  _ me _ ?” Ricky asked, and though he tried to make it sound ridiculous, she thought she detected a faint hint of hope in his voice, too.

“Yeah,” Nini nodded. “He was worried we were spending so much time together and getting so close.”

“Why would he think that?” 

“Was he wrong?” Nini questioned. “We have been getting really close…” 

“Yeah, but…” 

“Ricky,” Nini said shakily, daring herself to look him full in the face as she said it. His dark eyes were wide, intently gazing at her. “It’s weird to think about. And even weirder to say. But it almost felt like there was this distance growing between me and EJ. Even before you told me what you heard. For weeks things felt different. And I realized that it started right around the time we started to get to know each other.” 

“What are you saying?” Ricky asked.

Nini sighed. “I’m saying… Everything happens for a reason. And sometimes the universe hands us an opportunity. EJ kept saying that there was something in the way I looked at you. Or maybe the way we looked at each other. I don’t know. But he wasn’t the only one to see it. Kourtney mentioned it, too. How I would look every time I talked about you. And now… I don’t know.” 

Ricky wet his lips and glanced over at her. She was only now aware of how close they were sitting. “You know, I, uh… Big Red. He called me out after the first time I mentioned you. He said there was a look in my eyes that he’d never seen before. And I told him he was crazy. But he wasn’t. Because the truth is, you’re amazing, Nini. But you were with EJ, and you were happy. So I didn’t want to say anything. We’re friends, and that was enough for me.” 

Nini’s heart fluttered. So she hadn’t been mistaken, then. There really was chemistry beyond their friendship. But she didn’t know what to do with that information, now. She had just broken up with EJ, and despite having good reason, it was still a loss she would be grieving for some time. 

They met each other’s eyes. 

“Sorry,” Ricky looked away. “I didn’t mean to tell you all that. It was...probably a bad time. And it doesn’t have to change anything. I don’t want you to think that I’m, like, only your friend because I want something more. That’s not true at all -” 

Nini felt a surge of courage in her veins. Screw EJ. Screw Gina. Screw every single thing that had gone wrong and conspired to ruin her friendship - or whatever this was - with Ricky. Screw it all. She leaned over and pressed her lips against his, cutting him off mid-ramble. 


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short chapter, but probably one of my favorites to write. Self-quarantine leaves a lot of time to write (when I'm not teaching from home because school is online now). Thank you all so much for the feedback and support you've given. You make my heart warm. We're in the final phase of this story, but I've already got sequel(s) planned. I love you all so much. Please stay safe and healthy, and we can all practice social distancing while we read Rini fanfiction!

Ricky pulled back, gasping audibly. “Whoa.” 

Nini ducked her head shyly. “Sorry,” she mumbled, feeling her cheeks heat up. 

“Don’t be,” Ricky managed to say. “I, uh… This isn’t just a rebound, is it?” 

Nini giggled and pressed a second soft kiss to his lips. 

“I’m serious,” Ricky said, staring at her with a look of wonder. As if she’d just materialized in front of him. 

Nini sighed, averted her eyes for a moment, then brought them back to meet his gaze. His brown eyes were warm and wide and earnest. 

“It’s not just a rebound,” she said softly. “I’m not really sure what it is. I’m not sure of anything, really. What’s happening or what comes next. But it felt like the right thing to do, Ricky. At least for me.” Her eyes dropped to the couch cushion, sinking ever-so-slightly under their combined weight. “What about for you?” 

There weren’t enough words in any language for Ricky to convey to her just how  _ right  _ this felt, so he dipped his head and caught her lips with his, doing his best to channel every tamped-down feeling he’d felt for her through his mouth and into hers because there was no other way to say it. He hoped she got the message, and when she pulled back, her eyelids fluttered open and she let out a short, amazed laugh. 

“I’ll take that as a yes?” she questioned. 

Ricky nodded, reached over, and grabbed her hand, enveloping it with his. She could feel the callouses from guitar strings on his fingers. 

“What happens now?” she asked. It was too soon. She was painfully aware of the fact that she’d just broken up with EJ a few short hours ago, even if the breakup had started long before she was aware of it. It was too soon to be on Ricky’s couch alone. Too soon to be kissing him. Too soon for any of this. Whatever this was. Even if it did feel right.

Ricky sensed it, too. “Nothing has to happen now,” he said, but he didn’t relinquish her hand. If anything, he clasped it tighter. “Nothing has to happen until you’re ready.” 

Nini shifted closer to him, her knee resting against his. “What if I am, though?” she asked.

The young man stared down at her, mouth agape, a look of confusion and wonder and awe etched into his features as he searched her face for any sign that she was kidding. 

The key in the door and the turning of the knob interrupted the pair, and they just had enough time to spring apart as Big Red entered the apartment. “So I stopped off at the store on the way home and whoa!” he turned and noticed the pair on the couch. 

Nini swiped at her lips self-consciously, and though the pair had separated, what they had been doing was abundantly clear from their guilty expressions and the faint tint of lipstick on Ricky’s lips. She let her hands fall to her lap, her gaze fixed down at them.

“Dude. Dudes,” Big Red looked from Ricky to Nini and back. “I, uh. Sorry. For interrupting...I’ll, uh. Give you guys some privacy.” He scurried past them, mumbling something to Ricky about putting a sock over the doorknob next time as he went to his room and shut the door.

Nini released a trembling breath and looked over to Ricky shyly. For a moment they sat in silence, and then he started to chuckle. His chuckle turned to a laugh, which sent her into a fit of nervous giggles before she finally worked up the courage to shift herself close to him again.

“Did you mean what you said?” Nini asked after they had lapsed into silence. 

“About?” Ricky turned to her. 

“About trying not to think about me too much because I was already taken,” she said. “Or were you just saying that to make me feel better?” 

Ricky’s warm brown eyes leveled with hers and she was acutely aware of the fact that they were holding hands again. “Nini,” he said. “I can’t say it was love at first sight, because I don’t think that’s a real thing. But there was  _ something _ ,” he told her. She wasn’t used to this. Wasn’t used to the earnestness in Ricky’s eyes, the imploring way that he gripped her hand. The way he seemed to be pleading for her to hear and understand him with every fiber of his being. 

“Big Red as my witness, there was something,” he continued. “He called it on the first day and I didn’t wanna admit it because you and EJ seemed happy.” She winced at her ex’s name and he flinched infinitesimally. It was too raw. “I ignored it and denied it,” he finally said softly. “And I convinced myself that nothing would ever happen, and I was okay with that. I was okay with being your friend. But at the same time, I couldn’t really deny the fact that every day I spent with you just made me… I don’t know…” he trailed off, turning away from her, redness rising up his cheeks.

Nini squeezed his hand and willed him to turn back to face her. She smiled softly when he finally worked up the courage to look at her once again. “It’s okay,” she reassured him, and for the second time that evening, she could feel tears pressing at the backs of her eyes. She blinked them away, knowing full well that if she broke, Ricky would not be long behind. 

Ricky let out a self-conscious laugh. “It sounds so cheesy to say I fell for you.” 

It was Nini’s turn to blush. 

“But I guess that’s the best way to put it,” Ricky finally sighed. “Every day working alongside you made me realize how incredible you are. Seeing how passionate you were about the show, and watching you push through everything Gina and...well, everything that was thrown at us. It was pretty inspiring. I wouldn’t have been able to do all that on my own. Or with anyone else.” 

“You would have done fine with or without me,” Nini insisted. She could feel her throat tightening, her voice trembling slightly, and knew then that she wouldn’t be able to stave off the tears. So she let the first one fall. And then the second. And all the while, she was aware that she couldn’t stop smiling. 

“No I wouldn’t have. I mean it, Nini. You know? When I walked into your classroom for the first time, I was inspired to try and make the music room a home for my students, too. All those posters? The decorations? The  _ Pinterest account _ ? That was all you. You inspired me to be a better teacher.” 

He looked her in the eyes, saw the glassiness in them, and couldn’t stop the film of tears from clouding his own vision, too. “So it doesn’t matter what happens next, Nini. It doesn’t matter what we do or where we go from here. I’m just happy to have you in my life. I’m just happy to call you my friend.” 

They cried together, and then they laughed together, and then they cried a little more. Ricky felt like a child. A giddy, emotional child who had just discovered that his crush liked him back. And the more he and Nini talked, the more he reveled in the feeling. By the time his eyelids began to grow heavy, Nini had already slumped against his shoulder, her deep, even breaths telling him she was asleep. 

* * *

When Ricky’s eyelids fluttered open, Nini had her head resting against his chest. The light was still on, even as the predawn light began to filter through the open curtains. He inhaled quickly, sitting up with a start. Nini stirred, her features scrunching as she sat up slowly, her dark hair falling across her face. Ricky couldn’t help but giggle a little as he brushed her tousled locks behind her ear. 

“What time is it?” Nini murmured, squinting up at him as if trying to ascertain whether this was reality or a dream. 

“Six,” Ricky said. 

“Shit,” Nini breathed, suddenly sitting up. “I need to get ready. I don’t have anything here.” 

Ricky rose from the couch and helped her up. “You’ve still got time,” he reassured her. 

“Yeah, if I leave right now,” she said, scrambling to collect her wits and her purse. She felt like Cinderella at the ball, and the clock had just struck midnight. 

“Nini.  _ Nini _ . Relax,” he soothed, planting his hands firmly on her shoulders. 

She let out a puff of breath, then met his eyes shyly. “Last night was nice,” she murmured. 

A ghost of a smile traced Ricky’s lips as he concurred. 

“Where does this leave us?” she finally asked the question that had been playing on her mind since they first began pouring their feelings out to one another. 

“Where do you want it to leave us?” Ricky asked softly.

“Ricky… I like you. I like you a lot. But I don’t know… Everything’s happening so fast and I have a lot of feelings. Feelings for you, but also feelings in general. I just… Let’s take this slow, okay?” 

“Okay,” Ricky nodded understandingly. “We can take this as slow as you want.” He sighed in relief inwardly because Nini wasn’t rejecting him. Nini wasn’t telling him this wouldn’t work. She just wanted to take it slow. And he could handle slow. 

“I’ll, uh, see you at work?” she asked.  “Yeah,” Ricky laughed. “See you in an hour.” 

Nini slung her purse over her shoulder and started for the door. “One more kiss? For the road?” 

“For the road,” Ricky replied readily, and she crossed the room, planted one more lingering kiss to his lips, and then let him walk her out. 

* * *

Nini checked herself in the rearview mirror the second she got into the car. Her makeup had run and her hair was a mess. She sighed, unable to fight the smile that spread across her face. It was definitely going to be a ponytail day.    
  
  



	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is slightly different, in that it isn't a linear set of events. Rather, these are a series of vignettes - little snippets in Ricky and Nini's life post-kiss as they prepare for the show and continue to develop their relationship. Please let me know what you think! I love all the feedback you've given me so far - it's nice to know my Rini-shipping heart is in good company.

Ricky found Nini squatting on the stage in the empty auditorium, a roll of gaffers tape in her right hand as she carefully measured distances with her eyes.

“What’cha doin’?” Ricky asked, startling his co-director and causing her to lose her balance. His eyes went wide, his expression caught somewhere between an impish smirk and genuine concern as he bent over and offered her his hand. 

She took it, and allowed him to hoist her up to a standing position, the distance between them closing rapidly. She wasn’t sure if the dizzy sensation was a result of rising too quickly, or if Ricky just had that effect on her now. He didn’t release her hand right away, but when he did, Nini found herself wishing she could reach forward and clasp it back. 

“Stage marking,” she said, eyes falling to the roll of green tape in her hand. 

“Want help?” Ricky asked. “You know, many hands make light work and all?” 

She nodded, handing him the roll of tape. “Here. I’ll show you where to mark them.” 

“Whoa now,” Ricky teased playfully. “That doesn’t seem like a fair division of labor.”

Nini returned his grin. “Oh? Then what would you propose, co-director?” 

He took the roll of tape from her hand, intentionally letting his fingers brush hers as he did. “How about I tear and you tape?” 

“Fine,” Nini acquiesced, positioning herself downstage. “Tape me,” she said, holding out her hand and crying out in surprise when her co-director instead stuck a piece of tape to her cheek. She turned to shoot him a glare, but her eyes were too full of humor.

Ricky shrugged innocently. “You said to tape you.” 

“Watch it, Bowen,” Nini said challengingly. “I’m like an elephant. I never forget.” 

“I’m counting on it,” Ricky murmured softly, tearing off a second strip as Nini placed the first. 

She took it and placed an X on the ground, used her hand to estimate a few inches, then held her hand out wordlessly for more tape. Ricky tore off two strips and handed them to her. 

“Wait,” Nini said. “Stand on the X for me.” 

Ricky obeyed, standing on the tape mark as requested. “What now?” 

“I’m trying to measure,” Nini said, standing a few inches away from him and turning to face him. “These are the starting marks for the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ dance. Do you think this is close enough?” 

Ricky smirked. “No,” he said. 

Nini frowned, then caught his intention, the corner of her mouth twitching into a suspicious smirk of her own. “Oh?” She took a step closer. “How about this, then?” 

Ricky pretended to mull it over. “Mmmm, I dunno. I think they could be closer.” 

His co-director moved another half-step toward him. “Here?” 

“Closer.”

Nini took one final step and was now so close that he had to look down to see her. She was acutely aware of the fact that their bodies were brushing against one another, could feel how he had tensed up when her arm brushed his sleeve. “Better?” she asked softly.

“Better,” Ricky whispered. 

Nini grinned, rose on her tiptoes to meet him, and planted a quick kiss to his lips, grinning inwardly when he gasped. 

“I don’t remember a kiss in that dance number,” he said when he’d recovered. 

“I just added one,” Nini shrugged. She remained on her tiptoes, hovering millimeters from Ricky. His expression - parted lips, eyes darkened and blown wide - sent heat through her cheeks when the idea struck her. In one fluid motion, she brought her hand up and placed one strip of green tape over Ricky’s mouth. 

The young man let out a surprised, muffled cry as Nini, giggling, darted across the stage. “Told you I don’t forget!” 

Ricky tore the tape from his mouth and ran after her, their laughter echoing across the empty theater. 

* * *

Ricky read the text, then reread it as he dashed from the music room for the nearest stairwell. 

_ NINI: In the auditorium. Come quick! It’s important! _

He took the stairs two at a time, narrowly dodging EJ, who was coming down the opposite side, and crashed through the auditorium doors, panting as he looked around.  _ Empty _ . Ricky’s mind raced with a thousand possibilities for what could have gone wrong now. He’d thought EJ and Gina would give it a rest now that they’d been found out. Besides, what more could they do to sabotage the show? Burn the theater down? 

“Back here!” Nini’s voice floated from backstage.

Ricky bolted for the stage, leaping onto it and slipping quickly behind the curtain. “What’s wrong,” he said, trying to catch his breath.

“What? Nothing,” Nini looked at him, confused. 

“But you said…” 

Nini’s eyes widened and she slapped her forehead with the palm of her hand. “Sorry! I didn’t mean it was an emergency. I just got excited. I wanted to show you something.” 

Ricky sighed in relief. “Show me what?” he asked, following after his co-director as she led him to the costuming area. A short young woman with a blonde afro stood beside a mannequin covered in a tarp. 

“Ricky, meet my best friend and fashion  _ icon _ , Kourtney. Kourt, this is my co-director, Ricky.” 

“I’ve heard all about you,” Kourtney smiled warmly, shaking Ricky’s hand. Her grip was firm, and when she withdrew her hand afterwards, he couldn’t help but feel like she was scrutinizing him a little too closely for his comfort. 

“Kourtney finished the dress for the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ scene,” Nini said, her voice nearly squealing. “I wanted you to be here when she unveiled it.” 

Ricky’s eyes lit up. “Well, let’s see it!” he said. 

“Hold up,” Kourtney held up a perfectly-manicured finger as she stood beside the veiled mannequin. “First of all, I just wanna say… I’m not one to toot my own horn but  _ damn _ , I’m good. This might be one of my best pieces yet. Prepare to have your minds  _ blown _ .” She removed the tarp in one smooth move, revealing a dazzling, golden yellow chiffon ball gown. The bodice was decked out in a glimmering, floral print that sparkled under the dim stage lights. 

Nini let out an audible gasp as she circled around the mannequin, reaching out but quickly withdrawing her hand, as if the slightest touch would cause the garment to unravel. 

Kourtney rolled her eyes. “My designs are a little more high quality than that, Nini,” she said. “Go ahead and touch it, girl! Get your hand in there.” 

Nini ran her fingers through the skirt, admiring the gauzy material. 

“Nini wasn’t kidding when she said you were the best,” Ricky said to Kourtney, admiring the finished costume. It looked like it had been taking directly off the screen of the film. 

Kourtney smiled broadly and turned to Nini. “I like this one,” she said, jerking a thumb in Ricky’s direction. “He can stay.” 

As incredible as the dress was, Ricky was more awe-struck by the enraptured expression on Nini’s face. She circled the dress repeatedly, tilting her head each way to admire it from a different angle, delicately tracing the outline of the garment with her finger. Even if it was just a costume for a high school production, he couldn’t help but picture how stunning she would be in that dress. 

Ricky leaned over to Kourtney and used one hand to shield his lips from view. “How much to get a second one made? For Nini?” He asked. 

Kourtney leaned toward him and replied, “Way ahead of you.” 

* * *

“Alright,” Seb clapped his hands to gain the cast’s attention. “I need my Beauty and my Beast.” Noah and Mariela popped up from their seats in the front row and joined the choreographer onstage. 

“Alright, kids. It’s your time to shine,” Seb said excitedly. “The choreography for ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is finished. Either of you familiar with the waltz?” 

The teenagers shook their heads.

“Not to worry! It’s easy. Classic slow dance. Very romantic! So Noah, I want you to take your hand and rest it right here,” he guided the teen’s hand, “on Mariela’s lower back. And then Mariela, you’re going to bring your arm up and rest it here,” he guided her arm to rest just above Noah’s, her hand closing around her costar’s thin bicep. They were tense, and the pose seemed unnatural. “Okay, now loosen up a bit,” Seb encouraged. “You’re a beast and a provincial girl in love, not zombies.” 

Noah let out a nervous chuckle, trying to force the tension from his body as Mariela shook herself a bit. But when they rejoined, they were still as stiff as ever. 

“I’m sorry. I just don’t know if I can do this with so many people watching,” Noah said, eyes flicking self-consciously to the rest of his peers in the seats. 

Seb understood. “Would it help if you weren’t the only ones learning?” 

The pair nodded eagerly.

“Great! I know just the pair,” he turned to the directors standing offstage and waved them over. “I’m sure your co-directors would be happy to learn the waltz with you.” 

“We would?” Ricky asked, looking like a deer caught in headlights. 

Seb nudged him. “Yes, you would,” he said quietly, jerking his head in the direction of the two nervous leads, both eyeing their directors hopefully. 

“We would!” Nini said, plastering a smile on her face. 

“Great!” Seb clapped his hands again. “So we’re going to start with hand placements.” He helped guide Ricky’s hand to rest on Nini’s lower back. The young man blushed slightly. 

“Good,” Seb said, once Ricky and Nini had taken up the correct positions. “Now just step a little closer. Great!” 

Slowly, Seb walked the two pairs through the routine. Ricky found himself blushing every time his hand slipped a little lower, and Nini could feel the heat rising in her cheeks whenever their bodies brushed against one another accidentally. It wasn’t a particularly hard dance to learn, but neither could quite shake off the notion that it was suspiciously similar to a wedding dance. 

When they had finally finished drilling the choreography, Seb gave the two pairs a standing ovation. “You’re getting it!” He turned to the two leads. “Think you could practice on your own next time?” They nodded, and he sent them home with grateful smiles to their co-directors. 

“That was fun,” Nini said once the cast had cleared out. She had only just become aware that through the entire dismissal, she had been standing side-by-side with Ricky, his arm still resting casually around her waist. She was loath to separate herself from him, but finally did so to retrieve her purse. 

“Yeah,” Ricky agreed, uncapping his water bottle. “Just one question, though,” he turned to Seb. “Why’d you pick us? You could’ve asked literally any two cast members.” 

Seb grinned knowingly. “Noah and Mariela were nervous. I needed something distracting to take the attention off of them. Besides,” he winked, “you two looked cute together.” 

* * *

“We came to help you finish painting! We didn’t think it was fair to make you work all by yourselves on a weekend.” Nini declared as she and Ricky stepped onstage to join Ashlyn and her crew of students. 

“And you came dressed to work,” Ashlyn noted Nini’s overalls and Ricky’s already paint-splattered jeans. 

Ricky picked up a paintbrush. “So? What can we do?” 

The redhead smiled warmly. “There’s a dungeon wall over on the far side of the stage that needs some details,” she said. “Why don’t you start there?” 

“Roger that,” Ricky said, making his way over toward the set piece. Nini began to follow. 

“Actually, Nini. If you want, I could use some help with this piece. It’s for the ballroom.” 

“Oh.” Nini tried to force the look of disappointment from her face as she watched Ricky kneel down, a can of black paint beside him. 

Ashlyn caught the look. “Unless you wanna go help Ricky? I got this.” 

“No, it’s fine,” Nini shook her head quickly and picked up one of the paintbrushes, dipping it into the gold paint between her and the history teacher. They worked in silence for several minutes. 

“I heard about you and EJ,” Ashlyn finally said, and Nini was glad that she'd been the one to bring up the elephant in the room. 

Nini winced. She’d been avoiding Ashlyn. EJ, too. And Gina. Between the breakup and the betrayal, she’d made herself scarce around the school for fear of the awkward questions that would inevitably come. 

“We don’t have to talk about it,” Ashlyn added quickly. “But I know the whole story. EJ told me. So I want you to know that there’s no hard feelings. I get it.” 

Nini sighed, partially in relief and partially because she had no real desire to relive the memory. “Are you as disgusted about the whole thing as I am?” 

Ashlyn pursed her lips. “Yes. But I also can’t say I’m too surprised. Is that bad? I know he’s my cousin and all, and I still love him like a brother, but what he did to you was messed up.” 

“How’s he taking it?” Nini finally worked up the nerve to ask the question that cropped up all-too-often in her mind. Each time she was torn between ignoring the thought and calling him to check on him. 

“Honestly? He doesn’t leave his house except for work,” Ashlyn said, which was funny because to Nini, he’d seemed fine since the breakup. He didn’t look any different. Maybe a little more tired, but still the same. The fleeting glimpses she’d caught of him seemed to show he had moved on, which had only stung more. She wasn’t sure if Ashlyn was being honest, or trying to make her feel better.

“I didn’t know it was so bad…” the English teacher said remorsefully. 

“It’s not your fault,” Ashlyn reassured her. “I mean, don’t get me wrong. I hate seeing him moping around his house all the time. But he made the wrong choice, and he has to learn to live with the consequences. God knows he’ll never learn otherwise. It's not your job to stay and fix this for him.” 

“Yeah,” Nini said quietly, focusing very intently on the set she was painting, if only because if she met Ashlyn’s eyes, she was afraid she would break. “I guess.” 

“Now what about you and…?” Nini looked up to see the redhead casting a glance at Ricky, who knelt across the stage with a can of black paint open beside him. 

Nini flushed with embarrassment. “Oh! Us? It’s… It’s not… We aren’t…” 

Ashlyn chuckled, cutting her off. “You know, for an English teacher and a music teacher, you two sure seem to know a lot about chemistry. Speaking of,” the two women looked up as Ricky approached.

“Hey, Nini?” Ricky asked, eyes cast down guiltily and hands clasped behind his back.

Nini stood up, frowning in concern. “What’s wrong?” 

Before she could react, Ricky produced a paintbrush from behind his back, flinging paint at the young woman, who shrieked in surprise and amusement. “Payback for the tape!” he laughed, taking off across the stage and out of reach of Nini’s paintbrush as she attempted to return fire. 

* * *

“What’cha up to?” Ricky asked as soon as the FaceTime call connected. He could already tell from the background that Nini was in her living room. Though he’d never been to her condo, he had learned to recognize the different rooms over FaceTime. Normally, Nini was the one to initiate the call but tonight, he had decided to call her. 

Nini shrugged. “Actually? I’ve been writing.” 

“Writing what?” Ricky asked. 

Nini panned the camera down to show him the keyboard. He’d spotted it once during a call and asked about it. She’d simply said that it was old. That she didn’t have time to play anymore, and so it had become little more than a glorified coffee table gathering dust. She’d cleaned it off, evidently, as the potted plant that once occupied it was nowhere in sight. 

“I didn’t know you wrote songs,” Ricky said, a slow smile spreading across his features. 

“I haven’t in a while,” Nini replied honestly. “And I don’t know how good I am anymore.” 

“Let me hear,” Ricky implored. 

“It’s not finished!” 

“So? I’m sure it’s great.” 

“But all I have is a chorus,” Nini protested. “Half a chorus, if that. And my voice isn’t exactly the greatest…” 

“Nini,” Ricky interrupted. His face was serious. She’d gotten used to this look by now. Every time she put herself down even the slightest, it returned. An earnest, pleading look that somehow managed to melt her heart every time because it expressed nothing but faith in her. “There’s no such thing as ‘can’t sing.’ I would really like to hear it.” 

She couldn’t resist him. “Fine, but no judging,” she relented, propping her phone up on the music stand so that she could play. Ricky settled in on the couch and smiled softly as she started the first measure, took a deep breath, and sang the first song she’d written in nearly six years.

* * *

“How about this?” Ricky asked, shifting an image from one page to another. They were sitting in his living room, huddled around his laptop screen as they worked on the playbill. 

“I don’t know,” Nini said. “Should we really run two of Big Red’s ads side-by-side? I feel like it’d be better if we spaced them out more.” 

“We’re running out of other ads to stick in-between,” Ricky pointed out, reverting the image to its original location. 

“What if we did this?” Nini asked, putting her hand over Ricky’s on the mouse. For a moment, she just held it there, let her palm close over his knuckles, reveling in how natural it felt. He didn’t pull away, though she could tell he was watching her out of the corner of his eye. He always looked at her this way. Anytime they made any kind of contact, it was like he was trying to ascertain her existence with his eyes, trying to make sure she wasn’t a figment of his imagination. Slowly, Nini guided the mouse and clicked one of Big Red’s ads, dragging it to another page and inserting an ad for the local Mexican restaurant between them. She didn't withdraw her hand afterwards.

“Oh,” Ricky said quietly. “Yeah, that’s much better.” 

* * *

As tech week loomed ever closer, and opening night lay just beyond the horizon, rehearsals began to run later into the evening. Sometimes, it would be well past nine o’clock before Ricky walked Nini out to her car and said good night. They were both well aware that the whispering had started. Little rumors from giggly cast members, ever the hopeless romantics. All he could do was smile when he caught wind of them, and try not to take it too seriously when the kids started referring to him and Nini as “Mom and Dad.” 


	18. Chapter 18

Nini’s heart slammed into her chest when she pulled into the parking lot and spotted EJ getting out of his Jeep. She pulled into the nearest parking space and decided to wait for him to go into the building before she got out. It was pathetic, she knew, and she had no reason to avoid him. He’d been the one in the wrong. But after so many days of managing to dodge and skirt around him, she wasn’t sure she was ready to face him. She wasn’t sure what to say, or if there was anything left to say at all. And at the same time, she was filled with regret because EJ had once been her friend. Now they were nothing. 

To Nini’s surprise, EJ didn’t head straight for the door. He lingered for a moment by his car, shifting uneasily from one foot to the other, staring into space. And then it dawned on Nini that he wasn’t staring off into space. He was staring at  _ her _ . The moment they made eye contact, EJ started over toward her. 

_ Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god _ . Nini leaned over into the passenger seat footwell, pretending to rummage around in her purse. It didn’t stop EJ from tapping lightly on the glass, and though she had expected him to do that, it startled her nonetheless. 

Nini opened her door slowly and EJ stepped back to allow her out of the car. 

He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Hey,” his voice came out high-pitched, almost squeaky, and he cleared his throat again. “Uh, can we talk?” 

Nini leaned far over into the passenger seat again, pulling her purse out as slowly as she could manage. She tried to force her voice to sound casual. “Talk about what?” she asked, shutting the door and locking her car. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him, so she started walking briskly. EJ strode to catch up. 

“Us,” he said, his voice a little louder now. She winced, wishing he would stop. Or at least quiet down because she didn’t need anyone else to hear about their personal drama. 

Nini paused, swiped her ID, and held the door open for EJ despite herself. He didn’t enter, instead pausing in the open doorway. 

“EJ, there’s really nothing to say,” Nini finally sighed. She inspected him more closely now, looking for signs that Ashlyn had been right. That EJ was spending all of his time outside of work in his own house. There were bags under his eyes, so dark they almost looked like bruises. His green eyes, normally vibrant and full of humor, were dull and clouded now. And if she looked close enough, she could see small patches of stubble he’d missed while shaving, which was unusual because EJ was usually so meticulous about his morning routine. 

“Nini,” he reached for her arm instinctively but withdrew his hand when she shrugged it away. He let his hand drop and sighed, stepping into the school. Nini waited a moment, then entered behind him and let the door swing shut. “I just… I want to say I’m sorry.” 

“I know,” Nini said softly. “I know you are, EJ.” 

“So…?” he trailed off, surprised at her response. 

“So...what?” Nini asked, daring herself to level her gaze at him. 

“What now?” 

Her anger towards EJ had long since dissipated. After so many nights with Ricky, after so many triumphs with the musical, and after plenty of half-written songs about her feelings, Nini found herself left only with a lingering sense of sadness for what she and EJ had become. Her moms had taught her not to hold a grudge, that resentment only poisoned the one who held it. And so she had let her bitterness go. “What now?” she repeated his question. “Well, now you go down to the gym and get set up for the day, and I go to the faculty lounge to make some copies before first period.” She took a deep breath and started down the hall. 

“But… I said I was sorry,” EJ said, starting after her.

“And I said I know you are,” Nini answered, wheeling around to face him. “Thank you for your apology, EJ,” she told him. “But that’s all I have to say.” She turned and headed down the hallway again and resisted the urge to look back at her ex-boyfriend. 

* * *

EJ rarely set foot in Ashlyn’s classroom. Though they had grown up together, and though she was like a sister to him, they rarely associated at work. Maybe it was the difference in departments, or the fact that she was on an entirely different floor. Or maybe they just ran in very different circles. It has been like that in high school, too, and it seemed to work, both for him and for her. But now, he stood in the doorway of her classroom, daring himself to enter.

“You gonna keep standing there like a creep, or are you gonna come in?” Ashlyn said, and he realized she’d been watching him from her desk the entire time. 

“Right,” he shook his head, “Sorry. Just… Spaced out for a second.” 

Ashlyn let out a chuckle. “Yeah, I can tell.” She got up from her desk, her ruffled dress sweeping behind her as she crossed over to greet him.

EJ looked around the room. It was smaller than he remembered. Or perhaps Ashlyn had just filled it with more things. A replica of a revolutionary war cannon stood in one corner, aimed ominously at the door. A life-size cardboard cut-out of George Washington stood behind it, dressed in Revolutionary War attire. On the bulletin board, a large poster of Marie Antoinette was hung. A speech bubble beside it read, “Don’t lose your head!” The rest of the room was practically wallpapered in maps. 

“I’m gonna guess you aren’t just stopping by to pay your dear cousin a visit,” she said. 

“What?” EJ sputtered. “I can’t just come and say hi?” 

Ashlyn’s hands fell to her hips and she fixed him with a look. 

EJ sighed. “Okay. Fine. I need advice, Ash.” 

The redhead nodded sagely. “Ah, yes. Lucky for you I minored in psychology.”

“Advice on a girl,” he added, easing himself into one of the student desks. 

“Oh,” Ashlyn said. The humor was gone from her voice. “I see.”

“I messed up. Royally. I screwed Nini over. I tried to apologize again this morning.”

“Good,” Ashlyn brightened. “I’m proud of you for owning up to it.”

“I don’t think it worked, though.”

“What do you mean?” 

EJ shrugged. “She thanked me for the apology,” he explained. “But… I don’t actually know if she’s forgiven me or not.”

“Even if she hasn’t,” Ashlyn replied, “At the very least, she’s moved past it.” The redhead couldn’t bring herself to look her cousin in the eye as she said it. It wasn’t lying, really. Nini definitely seemed to have moved past it. But it wasn’t the resolution EJ was looking for. EJ wasn’t used to people moving on without forgiving him and offering him second, third, or fourth chances. He wasn’t used to owning up to his mistakes at all, and he certainly wasn’t used to not getting what he wanted despite everything. 

“I don’t get it, Ash. If I said I’m sorry, and if she’s moved past it… Shouldn’t we be back together by now? It’s been over a week. Haven’t I given her enough time?”

His cousin chose her words carefully. “You have. But did it occur to you that maybe she’s made her choice?”

“You mean, like, staying broken-up?” EJ questioned, and it was clear from the disbelief in his voice that he had not considered this possibility. His face sank when the redhead nodded. “Don’t say that, Ash. C’mon. There’s gotta be a way to win Nini back. Right?” 

Ashlyn sighed. “I don’t know, EJ. Think about it. What you did was wrong.” He opened his mouth to defend himself but she held up a hand to silence him. “I understand why you did it. But that doesn’t make it any less wrong. Nini trusted you, and you broke that trust. Can you blame her if she wants to move on?” 

EJ shook his head and let out a defeated sigh, slouching further into his seat. “I guess not. But still… There’s gotta be something I can do, right? Something to make her trust me again. Please, Ash. I’d do anything. You know I’d do anything to get Nini back.”

Ashlyn offered him the most reassuring smile she could muster and placed a gentle hand on her cousin’s shoulder. “I know you care about Nini. Way more than I’ve ever seen you care about any other girl. But if you really, truly care for her, EJ, you’ll respect whatever decision she makes. Especially if it makes her happier. You can’t force her.”

The PE teacher sighed. “So you’re saying it’s really over between me and Nini.”

“I’m saying that you and Nini were friends before you were anything more. And if you really care about her, you should be trying to rebuild that friendship, not the relationship that came after. You should want to be her friend just as much as you wanted to be her boyfriend.”

EJ pondered his cousin’s words. Ashlyn had a point. Ashlyn always had a point. Aside from being his first meaningful relationship in what felt like forever, Nini had been his first meaningful friendship in the same amount of time. She didn’t judge him for his injury, for the fact that he had so much potential and yet ended up teaching at their alma mater like every other washed-up college athlete. She didn’t care that he hadn’t gone pro. She didn’t care that he wasn’t a genius. She was largely indifferent to his championship streak as a coach. And that meant she had liked him for the person he was. She was honest. She was real. And whether she was his friend or his girlfriend, he knew he couldn’t afford to lose her from his life altogether. 

“I know what I have to do,” he said, rising decisively to his feet. 

“Oh boy,” Ashlyn murmured. 

“I’m serious, Ash. I need to make amends.” He threw his arms around her, encircling her in a tight hug. “You’re the best. Thank you for listening.”

Ashlyn hugged him back sincerely. “I’m proud of you, EJ. You might’ve done some stupid things and messed up big time, but I’m proud of you for wanting to make it right.”

* * *

“Gina, we need to talk,” EJ blew into Gina’s classroom like a tornado. The math teacher looked up from the board, where she had been erasing a series of graphs. 

“Do you ever just knock like a normal person?” Gina asked, setting the eraser down. 

“Your little plan? It sucks. And it failed.”

Gina sighed. He wasn’t telling her anything she didn’t already know. “Maybe if we -” 

“No,” EJ cut her off. “No more maybe-if-we’s. No more plotting. No more scheming. We’re done. I mean, do you even  _ know  _ how much damage you’ve caused?” 

Gina folded her arms and leaned against the whiteboard, her expression unreadable. “Why don’t you tell me?” 

“Where do I start?” EJ retorted. He had been wholly unprepared for this response from his co-conspirator. He had expected rational, calm, cool-under-pressure Gina. He had expected her to defend herself, to accuse him of being just as complicit. He had expected her to throw him under the bus. He hadn’t expected her to stand there silently, waiting for him to continue. 

“Nini broke up with me.” 

“Yeah, kinda hard to miss that one,” Gina answered. “I might have a way to win her back for you…” 

“You’re missing the point!” EJ said in exasperation.

“What is the point, exactly?” Gina fired back, her voice level. 

“The point is, you…,” he paused and corrected himself. “We fucked up. Big time. And not just because Nini broke up with me. You should’ve seen her before that. Every time we did something to mess with the show, it broke her heart just a little. It stressed her out. It made her doubt herself. And that’s not even mentioning how it must’ve affected Ricky.” 

“Thought you didn’t care about Ricky,” Gina said softly. 

“I didn’t!” EJ replied. “And maybe that’s the worst part of it all. I didn’t care about Nini. I didn’t care about Ricky. I didn’t care about anyone. And neither did you. And you know what? The play is fine! They’re doing great. And I’m happy for them. I snuck into a rehearsal the other day and they sounded  _ amazing _ . And we tried to take that all away from them.”

Gina shut her eyes and released a slow, shaky breath. “What do you want me to do, EJ?” she finally asked. “What’s done is done. The props were thrown out. The money’s been spent. It’s too late to get those kids to rejoin. We don’t can’t do anything more. We just have to let this whole thing blow over.” 

EJ shook his head. “Not good enough.” 

“Then what?” 

He glanced at the clock on the wall. 3:18. Rehearsal should’ve just started. “Follow me.” 

The PE teacher led the way to the auditorium. They could hear singing resounding through the theater as they approached. EJ put a finger to his lips, indicating Gina should stay silent as he quietly pulled the door open a crack and peeked inside. The cast was midway through “Be Our Guest.” He spotted Ricky’s curly-haired head in the front of the theater, facing the stage, back to the door. Nini was off to the side of the stage, her eyes fixed directly on the performers. 

Quickly, EJ slipped inside, waving his hand for Gina to follow. The duo slid into two seats in the back row, shrouded in shadow, rendering them all but invisible to the performers and the two directors. 

“Why’d you bring me here?” Gina hissed. 

“Shhhh,” EJ insisted. “Just watch.”

Gina sat silently and watched as the students performed the number. By the end, even she had to admit that they were talented. They had executed the choreography perfectly, and each note rang out loud and clear, echoing throughout the auditorium. 

Nini began to clap loudly when they had finished, as Ricky pumped his fist in the air and heaped praise upon them. Gina couldn’t help the smile that twitched at her lips, too. 

Seizing the distraction, EJ quickly got up, grabbing his co-conspirator by the wrist and dragging her out of the theater with him. 

“There,” he said once they were back out in the hall. “Now do you see? They’re really good. And Nini and Ricky are really good directors. This whole time, that’s what we’ve been trying to destroy. I wish I’d realized it sooner. I wouldn’t have gone along with it if I’d known.”

Gina cast her eyes down. “Yeah,” she said quietly. 

“You’ve got two options, Gina,” EJ said, and the ice in his tone was enough to cause her to look up. It wasn’t a tone she was used to hearing, especially not from EJ, but the stoic look on his face told her he meant it. “You’re going to help me make up for what we did, or I’m going straight to Gutierrez to tell him what really happened.”

“You know how that’ll make you look…” Gina said. 

EJ shrugged. “I don’t care anymore. That was your one mistake, Gina. This whole time, I went along with your plan because I was afraid of losing Nini. We’re broken up now. I’ve got nothing left to lose.”

Gina sighed. “I meant what I said the other day. That I’ve been thinking about this whole thing a lot.”

EJ’s expression didn’t soften. 

“Look, I’m ambitious. You know that by now. But the more I think about it, the more I realize how badly I screwed up. I let my ambition totally blind me to what I was doing.” The young woman shook her head. “Keep your ultimatum, EJ. You don’t need to threaten me to help you make this right. I want to.” 

EJ was stunned into silence for a moment. He hadn’t expected Gina to acquiesce so easily. He had come armed with more threats, more ways to try to out-manipulate the manipulator. And in the end, he hasn’t needed any of them. Who knew Gina Porter had a conscience?

“You better not be bullshitting me,” he said slowly, narrowing his eyes. 

“I swear,” Gina reassured him. 

“Well if that’s true, then you won’t mind going to Ricky and Nini and telling them what you just told me.”

Gina raised her dark eyes to meet EJ’s green. She held his gaze for a moment. “I’ll do it,” she promised. “But it takes two to tango. I’ll apologize to them for my part in this mess if you apologize to them for yours.”

EJ didn’t need to think it over. “Deal,” he said immediately. 

“Deal,” Gina nodded. They shook on it. 


	19. Chapter 19

Nini found Ricky in the balcony in the back of the auditorium, surrounded by various soundboards, lighting controls, and tangled wires. He was squinting at a diagram, turning it one way, then the other. 

“What’s that?” she asked, sweeping up behind him and wrapping her arms around his midsection. The touching was a relatively new thing, but she’d found in recent days that she’d been unable to keep her hands off him. It was always little things: her hand would find his and their fingers would interlock, he would gently rest his hand at the small of her back. And each time, it felt like completing a circuit. 

“Instructions for the soundboard,” he murmured distractedly. “But I can’t figure out what the hell I’m even looking at.” Ricky sighed. “I  _ knew  _ we shouldn’t have waited till now to try and work out lights and sound.” 

“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Nini soothed. “We had a lot more immediate things to take care of.” Inwardly, she was worried. Ricky was right. With every curveball EJ and Gina had thrown at them, they hadn’t had time to find a full crew for tech and staging. They’d only just begun rehearsing with a full set and props recently. Time was rapidly running out.

“Who did tech for the show last year?” 

Nini pursed her lips. “A/V club. But they’re…” 

“Cancelled?” Ricky filled in.

She nodded grimly. “Low enrollment.” 

“Great,” Ricky sighed in frustration, letting the diagram drop. 

Nini squeezed him gently. “We’ll figure it out,” she promised. 

“I hope so,” Ricky groused. “Because without a crew, we’re kinda screwed.”

* * *

Nini began packing up at 3:05, gently sliding a copy of  _ The Catcher in the Rye  _ into her tote, along with countless folders of work she had yet to grade. The play had been eating into almost all of her free time. A hesitant knock on the doorframe caused her to look up. 

To her surprise, Gina stood before her, leaning against the doorpost, her salmon-colored blazer buttoned up tight. The math teacher forced a grin. “Do you mind if I come in?” 

Nini paused for a moment, debating the question. Why would Gina want to come in? What could she possibly have to say? Maybe she was a vampire: unable to enter unless explicitly invited. Despite her reservations, Nini nodded slowly and Gina stepped carefully across the threshold and into the room. She paused, looked around the classroom warily, ascertaining they were alone, and then stepped a few feet further inside. 

“I promise the floor’s not booby-trapped,” Nini said, trying to keep the iciness out of her tone. 

Gina forced a laugh, but seemed to visibly relax. She paused a few feet from Nini’s desk, like a student well aware she was about to receive a dressing-down, and didn’t approach any closer. 

The two women stared at each other in silence for a few moments. Nini fought the urge to say something. To ask why Gina was there, or to assure her that she could come closer without fear of repercussion. She was fairly certain that the math teacher hadn’t come to deepen their feud, but she wasn’t ready to extend any olive branches either. 

“I, uh, came to talk to you,” Gina began haltingly.

Nini folded her arms and waited expectantly. 

Gina’s eyes sought the ground, flitting back and forth over the thin grout lines in the beige tile. “I need to confess something to you, Nini. I know you already know, but I thought you should hear it from me, too. About the sets going missing. And your budget. And the leads…” 

Nini shifted, her hands falling to her hips. She wasn’t sure how to feel. On the one hand, Gina’s contrition was clear and evident. But on the other, she’d wreaked so much havoc on the show, on Ricky, and on her. 

Gina shook her head. “God, you probably think I’m such a bitch.” 

Nini frowned. She was not about to let Gina turn this into a pity party for herself. “I don’t think you’re a bitch, Gina,” she finally said, her tone even. “There’s a snake in the Philippines. My mom told me about it. It’s called the  _ ulupong _ . The Philippine cobra. It’s very venomous and it can spit its venom up to about ten feet. That’s what you are, Gina. A Philippine cobra. Intimidating. Toxic. Spits nothing but venom.” 

Gina winced. “I guess I deserve that.” 

“But you know the funny thing about the Philippine cobra?” Nini continued. “The venom is harmless when it falls on unbroken skin. The worst you get is a rash, which is annoying but you can live through it. So the snake spits its venom, but it just rolls right off. And it almost never gets close enough to anyone to bite them.” 

She picked up her tote and started for the door. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to be late for rehearsal.” 

“Nini, wait,” Gina pleaded, turning around to face the English teacher. “This isn’t… I came to apologize to you.” 

Nini paused, sighed, and then turned around. “Alright,” she said. “Go ahead.” 

Gina faltered. “Well, that was sort of it,” she said. “Look, Nini, I know there’s not enough apologies in the world to make up for what I did. But I want you to know that I am really, truly sorry.” 

Nini tilted her head slightly. Up until that moment, she didn’t know Gina had a vulnerable bone in her body. And yet here she was, hanging her head in shame, her tone imploring Nini to hear her out. 

“Why did you do it?” Nini finally asked the question that had weighed on her since the moment EJ confessed. “We barely even knew each other. Why did you try to sabotage us?” 

Gina seemed to sink further. Despite being a good few inches taller than Nini, she seemed so small by comparison now. “Part of the reason Gutierrez hired me was because I volunteered to take over scholastic decathlon and the robotics club,” Gina said. “They were both down advisors and enrollment was tanking and I was supposed to bring them back up. I thought I could do it. But after the first couple of meetings… I was scared. I got desperate. I saw how many members the drama club had, including kids that used to be part of robotics or decathlon. I thought maybe you could afford a few losses. And I know that’s not an excuse, but… I guess I lost sight of the fact that I was hurting people along the way. I know what I did was unforgivable. I’m not asking you to forgive me. All I’m asking is for a chance to make this right. I want to make this right. Just tell me how.” 

Nini wavered. She was angry, yes. And Gina was right: her actions were unforgivable. But there was also an undeniable sincerity to Gina’s apology that she couldn’t wholly ignore. “Look, Gina, as much as your offer is appreciated… and unexpected, I don’t really have time for this right now. Thank you, really, for apologizing,” Nini finally said. “But I’ve got to find a way to double our tech crew numbers or we won’t have any lights or sound for the musical.” Then she paused, an idea coming to her. 

“Actually,” she said, “You want a chance to make things right?” Gina nodded eagerly. “I think I might know a way…” 

“You can’t be serious,” Ricky said. 

“I am,” Nini confirmed.

“After everything she did, you want to put  _ Gina  _ in charge of tech?” 

“Not Gina herself,” Nini said. “But the robotics club. Think about it. They spend all day building robots, wiring them up. A soundboard should be a piece of cake.” 

Ricky hesitated. “I don’t know…”

“Look, Ricky. I don’t trust Gina anymore than you do. But when she came to my room to apologize, she was being sincere. Either that, or she deserves an Oscar for that performance. And besides. What other options do we have?” 

“I don’t like it,” Ricky shook his head. “But if you vouch for Gina…” 

“I vouch for the robotics club,” Nini corrected. 

“If you vouch for the robotics club,” Ricky said, “I guess it’s worth a shot.”

* * *

Ricky was alarmed by the insistent knocking at the door of the apartment. They always left the exterior door unlocked, but there were never any visitors. Especially unannounced ones. Even Halfpipe seemed to sense something was wrong, and he sat up on the couch. Had Big Red accidentally forgotten his keys? 

Ricky squinted through the peephole and nearly jumped back when he spotted EJ standing on the other side, wearing a black bomber jacket that somehow made him look even more imposing in the dim stairwell. Ricky turned away quickly, pressing himself against the door and letting out a puff of breath.

“Okay,” he said to the dog, who had hopped off the couch and was now sitting alert by the door. “No need to panic, Halfpipe. It’s just EJ. You know, Nini’s ex who’s like  _ two feet  _ taller than me and could probably snap me in half without even trying.” His eyes darted around the room, looking for something to defend himself with. 

“Ricky? Dude, c’mon, I can hear you. Can you open the door?” 

“ _ Shit _ ,” Ricky breathed. He briefly considered jumping out of the window. It was only a two story drop. Surely a broken ankle was better than a broken  _ everything _ . He really wished he’d taken Big Red up on his offer to join him at the skatepark. 

The pounding on the door made him jump. “Ricky, seriously. It’s EJ. I just want to talk.” 

“Promise you’re unarmed?” Ricky shouted back through the door, peering again into the peephole. 

EJ looked confused. “What? Yeah, of course.” 

Ricky squatted down beside Halfpipe. “Alright, boy,” he whispered to the dog, “I’m gonna open the door. You get him.” He stood up and shouted through the door, “Okay. I’m opening up.” He unlocked the door and removed the latch, then eased it open. “Get him!” he hissed to Halfpipe.

The dog stepped through the threshold lazily and sat before EJ, who squatted down and presented his hand. Halfpipe sniffed, then licked the man’s hand, and his tail wagged as EJ scratched behind his ear. 

“You’re the worst guard dog ever,” Ricky said, opening the door fully. 

EJ stood up. “Hey,” he said. 

“Hi,” Ricky replied uncertainly. 

“I, uh, wanted to talk to you,” the older man said, subconsciously rubbing his neck. 

“At my house? How’d you even get my address anyway?” Ricky asked. 

EJ’s eyes widened. “That’s… Not important,” he looked around the hallway. “Could we… Maybe talk inside? I feel weird having this conversation in a stairwell.” 

Ricky glanced behind him, hesitating. “I...guess?” he finally stood aside to allow the older man inside, Halfpipe following at his heels. 

Ricky led EJ into the living room. “Do you want something to drink?” he asked, more out of politeness than a sincere desire to be hospitable. 

“I’m okay, thanks,” EJ replied. The air in the room grew even more uncomfortable. 

“You can…sit down,” Ricky indicated the couch. 

“I’m okay,” EJ said again.

Ricky shrugged. For a moment, the two men just stood in the living room, staring at each other awkwardly. Ricky wasn’t sure what to say to EJ. What was he supposed to say to the man who’d sabotaged him for weeks? Especially when that man happened to be Nini’s ex? Not that he and Nini were anything official, of course, but they were certainly more than friends. And he was certain EJ had figured that out already. Anyone with eyes had probably figured that out already. 

“So. I, uh, wanted to apologize,” EJ finally broke the awkward silence that had settled between them. “For everything that happened.” 

Ricky nodded slowly, eyes narrowing in suspicion. 

“Look, Ricky,” EJ sighed, deflating like a balloon. “I want you to know that I’m sorry. I never really gave you a fair shake.” 

Ricky couldn’t help but let out a brief, derisive snort at the understatement. If EJ noticed, he didn’t let on.

“When Gina first approached me with her plan to sabotage the musical, I was jealous. I saw the way you and Nini interacted and it just… I don’t know. It sent me spiraling. I thought you were trying to steal her from me.” 

“EJ,” Ricky’s voice softened. “I was never trying to steal Nini from you.” He wanted to tell the man that he could never bring himself to do a thing like that. Not after his parents’ marriage dissolved the way it did. Not after his mother married the man who’d broken up their marriage in the first place.

“I know,” EJ replied. “I know you weren’t. And I should’ve had more trust in Nini. And in you. But at the time, things weren’t going so great between us, and you were there… It just seemed like it was all related. So I agreed to help Gina with her plan. But I know now that you never did anything to try to get in between us. The problems between me and Nini were already there.” He looked up and held Ricky’s gaze. The younger man thought he could see moisture forming in EJ’s eyes. “I messed up, Ricky. I’m really sorry. And I wanted to come here and tell that to you in person because you deserve to hear it in-person.” 

Ricky sighed. He didn’t want to forgive him. After all of the stress and frustration, after all the tears and sleepless nights, he didn’t want to forgive. He wanted to stay angry, the way he’d remained angry at his mother for years. But even if he tried, he knew he couldn’t will the anger back. EJ had sabotaged them, yes. But they’d overcome every obstacle and he was arguably much happier now than he was at the start of the school year. So what reason did he have to be angry anymore?

All he felt was a sense of sadness and loss. Sadness and loss for Nini, for how things had gone down between her and EJ. Sadness and loss for how things could have gone. There was a parallel universe out there where the four of them - he, Nini, EJ, and Gina - were friends. He was sure of it.

“You know what sucks the most, EJ?” Ricky finally said.

“What?” 

“If you hadn’t pulled the shit you did, I think we could’ve been friends.” 

EJ fell silent for a moment. Ricky Bowen was a good guy, of that he was certain. And if he’d learned anything from this entire ordeal, it was that he needed more good guys in his life. “Do you think we’ll ever get there?” he asked.

Ricky thought it over for a moment, and then a faint smile traced his features. “Maybe one day.” And despite everything, he knew he meant it. 

EJ returned the half-smile. “I’d like that.” The two men lapsed into silence once more. Finally, EJ spoke again. “I know I can’t ever fully make up for what I did,” he said, “but is there anything I can do to try?” 

Ricky pondered it for a moment. “Actually,” he said, “Maybe there is.” 

“Anything,” EJ replied. 

“So while Nini and I were busy cleaning up after all the messes you and Gina made, we never had a chance to recruit a full crew…” 

“Say no more,” EJ cut in. “The basketball team will do it.” 

Ricky was surprised. “Don’t you… maybe wanna run it by them first?” 

EJ shrugged. “Mandatory conditioning,” he said. “They’ll do it. We’ve got your back.” 

EJ sighed when he got back into his car. Overall, his apology to Ricky had gone much better than he’d expected, and while he wouldn’t exactly say they’d come out of it as friends, there was at least an uneasy peace between them. He could work with that. He put his Jeep into gear and backed down the narrow driveway. He still had one more stop on his apology tour.

* * *

Nini’s condo complex was small, with winding side streets that led to various parking lots and sets of units. He always managed to get lost in the maze of identical buildings. Eventually, he found his way to her condo, pulling in beside her blue hatchback. He let the car idle for a moment, its headlights illuminating the white door of Nini’s home. He took a deep breath to steel himself, and for a moment he debated turning around. He could always see her tomorrow at work and say what he needed to say. But at the same time, he knew she wouldn’t appreciate being ambushed in the parking lot again. If he wanted to make amends, they would have to be on her terms. He shut off the engine and hopped out of the car. 

“Oh  _ hell  _ no,” a voice rang out as he approached Nini’s steps, and he suddenly found his path blocked by Kourtney. Though she stood a full foot shorter than him, the fiery expression on her face somehow made him stumble backwards. “How’d I know you were gonna show up here sooner or later?” 

“Kourtney,” he grinned nervously. “Hi.”

“Back up,” Kourtney said fiercely. “Don’t make me rearrange your pretty face because you know I will.”

“Whoa, whoa,” EJ held his hands up in surrender. “Kourtney! I swear. I’m not here to do anything but apologize to Nini.” 

“Nini doesn’t need to hear from you,” she retorted, advancing upon him and forcing him to back up several more feet. “I think you’ve done quite enough. So you better turn around and walk your ass back to your car, or I’ll gladly kick your ass there for you.” 

They were both interrupted by the front door opening, and the entire front walk was bathed in a warm yellow glow as Nini stood in the doorway, arms wrapped around herself. “What’s going on?” she asked, squinting into the night. 

“Don’t worry about it, Nini,” Kourtney answered without turning around. “I was just taking out the trash.”

Nini’s breath hitched when she realized who her best friend was referring to. “EJ?” 

The man forced a tight grin and gave a small wave. 

Nini sighed, moving to shut the front door. 

“Wait!” EJ called out. “Nini. I swear I’m not here to harass you about getting back together. Can you just hear me out?” 

“You are not entitled to Nini’s time anymore,” Kourtney replied.

“It’s fine, Kourt,” Nini said quietly. 

“Nini, are you sure?” 

She nodded. 

Kourtney turned back to EJ, her eyes shooting daggers. “I’m watching you. Don’t try anything funny.” 

Nini’s hands fell to her hips and she leaned against the doorframe, eyeing her ex-boyfriend suspiciously. “What is it, EJ?” she asked tiredly. 

“I realized that I sorta caught you off-guard at school the other day,” he began. “But I wanted to apologize to you properly. And to let you know that I went to Ricky’s to apologize, too.” 

Nini paused. This was news to her, but she was pleasantly surprised. EJ wasn’t the type to admit he was wrong easily. The fact that he’d gone to Ricky to apologize at all said a lot. 

“Nini, there aren’t enough words to tell you how badly I messed up. And how sorry I truly am. And I’m not here to try to convince you to get back together. I know that ship has sailed. I’m here to take a shot at repairing our friendship. Because if these past few days have taught me anything, it’s that our friendship means more to me than anything else.” 

Nini felt the tears begin to press at the backs of her eyes and willed them back, blinking away the stinging sensation. It had taken days to come to terms with the end of her and EJ’s relationship, even with all of Kourtney’s pep talks and insistence that it was for the best. But she’d learned to be okay with it. The dissolution of their friendship altogether, though, was something she’d still been trying to work through.

Because for better or worse, EJ had been her friend. He’d made her feel valued and beautiful and worthy. Yes, he’d been a teenage dream come to life - the wallflower bagging the star athlete at the end of the movie - but in their not-quite-one-year together, she’d learned so much more about him. The depth he contained. She’d learned he was ambitious and driven. That he didn’t let bad circumstances keep him down. And she’d learned that he was far more intelligent than he gave himself credit for. In that time, too, he’d taught her so much about herself: to believe she was capable, to open up and go after the things that mattered to her. To discover he’d betrayed her, and to lose that friendship all of a sudden, had been devastating. 

“I accept your apology, EJ,” Nini finally said, and the smile of relief that spread across his lips made her feel warm. “But I want to be clear, too. I accept your apology, but that doesn’t make everything okay. What you did… You broke my trust. And that’s going to take time to rebuild.” 

Her ex-boyfriend nodded his head vigorously, as if there had never been a more rational statement in the world. They lingered for a moment, EJ at the curb in front of his car and Nini standing in the doorway, bathed in the yellow glow of her condo. “Do you think it can be done?” EJ finally ventured shyly. 

“Maybe,” Nini replied. “I hope so.” 

* * *

Ricky was staring at his computer screen, typing up his lessons for the following week when Gina appeared in his office door. 

“Spare a minute for a coworker?” she asked, hesitating. 

Ricky glanced at the clock. 7:50. Too early to claim he was busy, though he didn’t particularly want to hear what Gina had to say at all. “A minute,” he agreed. 

“I’ll be quick, then,” Gina said, stepping into his office. “I’m sorry.” 

Ricky met her eyes and waited expectantly. 

“I’m sorry that I sabotaged you and Nini. I’m sorry that I enlisted EJ to help me do it. I’m sorry that I got your sets thrown out, your budget slashed, your leads stolen…” 

“I thought we understood each other, Gina,” Ricky said. “You know? Both new to the staff. Neither of us really having a clue what we’re doing here. The stuff we talked about when we had lunch that one time. I thought we were gonna look out for each other. But I guess that didn’t really matter to you, did it?” 

“It’s not that,” Gina said. “Just… Hear me out, please?” 

“I’m listening.” 

“It was a dumb plan. In fact, by the end, there wasn’t even a plan at all. I just… I thought that maybe if I caused a little drama in the drama club, a few kids would drop. Maybe they’d consider switching over to my clubs. Or at the very least, if enrollment was down across the board, maybe it wouldn’t look so bad on me. I know it was selfish and stupid. I never even meant for it to go as far as it did. But you and Nini seemed to rise above everything…” 

“You know, Gina,” Ricky began, “There were some people around here who said you were too ambitious for your own good. And I told them they were wrong. That you were ambitious, but that wasn’t a bad thing. But I guess I was the one who was wrong in the end, wasn’t I? Guess I’m the idiot for giving you the benefit of the doubt.” 

“No, Ricky,” Gina pleaded. “You weren’t. In fact, it’s one of the first things I noticed about you when we met. You believe in the good in people. And it’s only become more and more apparent as the weeks have gone on. You and Nini cobbled a show together despite everything. EJ made me watch a rehearsal the other day, and what you’ve done with that group of kids is incredible.”

Ricky looked at her disbelievingly. 

She sighed. “The other day when we ran into each other at the grocery store. You asked me why I was having a bad night. I didn’t want to admit it to you, but I was having a bad night because I realized what I’d done. It kept me up for  _ days _ while I tried to figure out what to do. I don’t expect you to believe me, Ricky. You have no reason to. But if there’s any part of you that can trust anything I say, please believe me now. I feel so, so guilty. And I am so, so sorry. I shouldn’t have double-crossed anyone, least of all you. You’re the only one here who really understood what I was going through. I just want a chance to prove that’s not really who I am. I already offered to help you guys with tech. I know it won’t make up for everything, but maybe it can be a start?” 

More than anything, Ricky wanted to tell Gina to take a hike. To get out of his office and slink back to her classroom and never come near him, or Nini, or their musical ever again. But even as he opened his mouth to say it, Big Red’s voice echoed in the back of his mind. 

_ Don’t tell me Ricky Bowen, King of Second Chances, is about to turn Gina down. C’mon, dude! That’s not you. Part of what makes you so special, so amazing, is that you see the best in others. Just like you saw the best in your understudies and turned them into an all-star cast. Yeah, what she did was messed up. But are you gonna let it change who  _ you  _ are?  _

“Fine,” Ricky relented, though he wasn’t sure if he was addressing Gina or Big Red. “Everyone deserves a second chance. Here’s yours. But Gina? Break my trust again, and that’s it. I’ll go straight to Gutierrez and tell him exactly what happened.” 

The math teacher let out a sigh of relief. “I know my promises aren’t really good for much these days, but I promise you, Ricky. You won’t regret it.” 


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is it, ya'll! The final chapter of this story. But don't worry - you may have noticed that I started a series for this story. I do have a smaller mini-sequel and a full-length sequel in the works. And as we enter the third week of my state's quarantine (and the third week of me teaching from home), it seems I'll have plenty of time to work on them. I want to thank each and every one of you from going on this journey with me. I started writing this story to help me get back into writing in general, and I have loved every minute. All of the reads, kudos, and thoughtful comments have been very uplifting.
> 
> As we go through this difficult time, I find that more and more we need art to keep us connected to the things that matter. I hope to produce some entertaining things for you all, and I look forward to reading any work you produce, too. Stay safe and enjoy the finale of "The Show Must Go On." And hope to hear from you again in the next part of this series!

“Ricky, where should these go?” EJ asked, holding up a cardboard vendor’s stand. A few members of the basketball team stood behind him, arms filled with various items for the opening scene. 

“On the black X’s, downstage,” Ricky replied without looking up, checking items off a clipboard.

“Nini, they’re waiting for the final okay for lighting,” Gina called.

“Be there in a second!” 

“Mariela,” Kourtney admonished gently, brandishing a makeup brush, “If you don’t wanna walk out there looking like Bozo the Clown, I need you to sit still.” 

“Banner’s are up!” Big Red announced, stepping back to admire his handiwork.  _ East High Presents: Beauty and the Beast. Sponsored by Big Red’s Skate Shop.  _

“Looks good!” Ashlyn praised, walking up behind him with two painted castle towers in her arms. 

Big Red turned and blushed the second he saw her. “Oh. Thanks.” For a moment, he simply smiled at the history teacher, then his eyes widened. He hadn’t introduced himself. Technically they’d met. They went to school together after all. But that was ages ago, and it wasn’t like they’d really talked all that much. He had always been more of the admire-from-afar type. “I’m Big-”

“Big Red,” Ashlyn cut him off, laughing. “I know who you are.” 

“You do?” 

She nodded. “Duh. We went to school together. We’re friends on Facebook...” 

“We are? I mean, we are! Totally.” Big Red brightened. He could feel his face getting hotter and he was certain that he was bright red by now. 

“Anyway, it’s good to see you. I was really excited when Ricky mentioned you’d be here tonight. This show definitely wouldn’t have come together without you.” 

“Or you,” Big Red gestured to the set pieces in the young woman’s arms. 

Ashlyn shrugged modestly. “I just paint the sets,” she said. “Speaking of which, I should probably get these positioned onstage. We’ll catch up later?” 

“Yeah,” Big Red breathed.

Ashlyn walked toward the stage with a slight bounce in her step, doing her best to hide how hard she was grinning when she noticed Big Red staring after her. 

* * *

Nini found Ricky in the hallway, fervently running through the song list and muttering under his breath as he paced back and forth. If he noticed her enter, he didn’t let on. She paused and watched him for a moment, a gentle smile gracing her lips. It was a look and a feeling she knew all-too-well. Opening night jitters. Slowly, she made her way toward him. He looked up and halted his back-and-forth as she approached. 

“Nervous?” she asked. 

Ricky pursed his lips. “Little bit. You?” 

“Terrified,” Nini confirmed, encircling his waist with her arms and squeezing him tightly for reassurance. “But we’ll get through it alright.” 

Ricky smiled, feeling the tension slowly leave his body. Nini’s hands were solid and steady around him, grounding him. “You’re the veteran,” he said. “If you say we’ll be alright, I believe you.” 

Nini pulled back and smoothed out the small wrinkles in Ricky’s pale blue button-down, then straightened his tie. “You look dashing,” she told him. 

“You’re the one who’s gonna steal the show,” he said, sweeping back a loose tendril of her hair that had fallen across the shoulder of her royal blue dress.

Nini glanced at her watch. “Fifteen minutes till showtime,” she said. “Let’s get them warmed up.”

* * *

“Alright, everyone, circle up!” Ricky called as the two co-directors entered backstage. Kourtney finished blending Rynn’s makeup and sent her to the center of the room with a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 

Ricky and Nini looked around at the assembled faces. Cast, crew. Ashlyn, Kourtney, Big Red, Seb, even EJ and Gina. All staring at them with rapt attention. 

“This is it,” Nini said, trying to hide the tremble in her voice. She locked eyes with Kourtney, then with Ashlyn. “We could not have done this without all of you.” Her gaze swept around the circle and settled on Gina. “I mean it. Every single one of you has had an important role in this journey. Old friends. New friends. Whether this is your first show or your hundredth. This group right here is family.” 

“We hit a lot of bumps along the way,” Ricky put in. “But it made us stronger in the end. And I think it brought us all a little closer together.” He could feel himself getting more choked up as he went. “We started off as underdogs. But tonight, we’re about to give East High the most amazing all-star show it’s ever seen. Tonight is all about you. You’ve practiced. We  _ know  _ you’re going to bring down the house.”

“Not to alarm everyone,” Seb announced, straightening out his sparkling silver blazer, “but I took a look at the crowd earlier and Jenn is here.” 

“ _ Jenn _ ?” Nini repeated. “Like  _ the  _ Jenn?” 

Seb nodded and some of the cast began to whisper to one another, eyes wide in astonishment.

Ricky wracked his brain for any mention of anyone named Jenn but he came up blank. “Okay, I feel like I’m missing something. Who’s Jenn?” 

Seb gasped. “ _ Who  _ is Jenn?” Ricky looked at the choreographer quizzically and slowly nodded his head. “Only the most famous graduate to ever come out of East High,” he explained.

“She’s huge on Broadway now,” Nini elaborated. “You know  _ Wicked _ ?” 

Ricky nodded.

“She’s Glinda.”

“And not like Glinda in the matinee, either,” Seb added. “We’re talking sold-out, primetime shows.” 

“Don’t forget she’s got a Disney show coming out soon,” Kourtney threw in as she cleaned her makeup brushes. 

“She’s a big deal,” Seb concluded. “There’s only one Jenn.” 

Ricky nodded. “Right. Got it.” He turned to the cast, their eyes now wide with uncertainty. “Well, you guys heard. We’ve got a celebrity in the audience. But you know what? It doesn’t matter if it’s Jenn in the audience or Zac Efron or the Queen of England. You got this.” 

“Two minutes till curtain,” Big Red called. 

Ricky turned back to the cast and put his hand in the center of the circle. “Bring it in.” He waited until one-by-one, they joined him. Nini’s hand hovered lightly above his. He looked up and spotted EJ and Gina on the fringes of the group. EJ’s hands dangled limply by his sides and Gina had hers wrapped tightly around herself. “You guys, too,” he eyed them meaningfully. Gina glanced to EJ, a ghost of a smile flickering across her face as she slowly lowered her hand into the ring beside his. 

“Underdogs on three,” Ricky said. “One. Two. Three.”

“ _ Underdogs _ !” 

* * *

EJ took his seat beside Gina in the upper balcony VIP section. He beamed with pride when the curtains opened. Every set piece was perfectly positioned. Above them, a few members of the robotics team focused the stage lights on Mariela as she stepped onstage. 

“So far, so good,” he whispered to his former co-conspirator. 

Gina resisted the urge to point out that the show had just started and instead nodded in agreement. Things would go right tonight. They had to. Too much had gone wrong already, and it was mostly her fault. Ricky and Nini deserved a win. 

Mariela began to sing her first song as she wandered amid the vendor cart props and ensemble members. One member of the chorus walked by with a basket full of rubber chickens. 

“That was my idea,” EJ declared proudly. 

Gina quirked a brow and gave him an incredulous smile in return. “Why?” 

He shrugged. “He was originally supposed to be carrying a basket of bread, but we couldn’t find the baguette props. We  _ did  _ find a bunch of rubber chickens in the PE storage room, though. Don’t ask me why they were there. Pretty good, right?” 

Gina couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re a master of improv, EJ,” she patted his arm. 

Mariela finished her song and the audience’s applause was so loud, she had to wait almost thirty seconds before she could continue speaking. Gina twisted around in her seat and gave her robotics team kids a thumbs up. 

“You know, despite everything, we kinda make a good team,” EJ observed, leaning over so as not to disturb the people sitting around them.

“You’re not wrong,” she admitted, eyes still glued to the stage. 

“Let’s just stick to using our powers for good, next time. Deal?” 

Gina smiled a warm, genuine, contagious smile. “Deal.” 

* * *

By the time the curtain closed after the final scene, Ricky was certain he’d never heard an audience applaud more loudly in his life. He ventured a peek through the curtain and saw not a single person in their seat. He and Nini exchanged proud glances with each other.

As the cast gave their final bows, Mariela suddenly bolted from the stage, racing backstage and seizing Ricky’s wrist with one hand and Nini’s with the other, pulling them onstage with the cast. The applause grew louder. Ricky grinned at his co-director, took her hand in his, and together they bowed.

The backstage area quickly turned to chaos as cast members hugged each other and squealed, embracing and jumping and crying and laughing. Nini watched them with satisfaction, her heart swelling as Mariela darted up to her and gave her a tight hug. 

“You were incredible,” Nini told her. 

“The universe gave me an opportunity,” Mariela beamed back. “Thank you for showing me how to take it.” 

“Congratulations!” a sing-song voice called and Nini turned around to see Carlos striding toward her, decked out in an indigo suit that was definitely custom tailored. “I couldn’t have done it better myself.” 

“Oh my gosh! Carlos! I didn’t know you were here!” 

He hugged her warmly. “I wasn’t going to miss this. And besides, I was escorting a new friend,” he said, waving a blonde woman over.

Nini’s jaw dropped. “Oh my god. You’re -” 

“Jenn,” the woman replied, her blue eyes twinkling. “And you must be the incomparable Ms. Nini Salazar-Roberts. Carlos told me all about the work you were doing with the East High drama department. Absolutely remarkable!” 

Nini smiled bashfully. “I can’t take all the credit. I had an outstanding cast and crew to support me. And the best co-director in the world,” she nodded toward Ricky, who was chatting with Ashlyn and Big Red. He paused when he noticed Nini looking in his direction and excused himself. 

“Allow me to introduce Ricky Bowen, the brains behind all of our music and the sole reason I kept my sanity in all of this.” 

“Please. Nini’s the master,” he said, hand falling instinctively to her waist. “I was just lucky enough to study under her.” 

Carlos caught Nini’s gaze and pointedly stared at Ricky’s hand on her waist, a smile that was equal parts surprised and elated spreading across his face as his former coworker blushed. 

“I must say, I  _ love  _ what you’ve done here,” Jenn said, her tone wistful. “Carlos told me that your leads were originally understudies. East High’s theater was always a home for artists just beginning to bloom. I was an understudy myself, born right here on this stage.” Her eyes fell on the pair. “Thank you. I have a feeling the next generation of great performers just got their start on this stage tonight.” 

Jenn’s eyes fell on Mariela, who hovered nearby. “And you, my dear, were brilliant,” she said to the dark-haired girl. 

“Th-thank you,” Mariela breathed, eyes wide as she approached the Broadway star hesitantly.

The blonde waved her over, folding the girl under her arm. “You’ve got a bright future ahead of you. If you ever decide to pursue a career on Broadway, let me know.” She turned to Carlos. “What do you say? One quick tour around the school for old time’s sake?” 

Carlos offered the actress his arm. “I’d be delighted.” 

Nini let out a squeal of delight as soon as the pair were out of earshot, throwing her arms around Ricky and hugging him tight. “Do you know what just happened?” 

Ricky smiled brightly at her. “We just got some very high praise,” he said.

“Very high praise from  _ Jenn _ ,” Nini enunciated. She felt dizzy. “That’s... That’s like a Nobel Prize in the high school theater world.” 

“It was nice,” Ricky agreed, his hands gripping Nini’s shoulders playfully as he stilled her energetic bouncing, “I think that’s the real victory.” He jerked his head in the direction of the cast, now gathered around backstage and singing “Beauty and the Beast” in celebration. 

Nini leaned against her co-director, warmth rising from the pit of her stomach and into her chest, then spreading all throughout her body as she watched them sing and smile.

“What happens now?” Ricky turned to Nini. 

There was a moment’s hesitation as she looked at him, then at the cast, and then back and wondered if he was talking about an after-show celebration or where this left their relationship. She opted for the former and smiled. “Well usually, the entire cast and crew goes out to Denny’s after opening night,” she said.

If he was hoping to discuss the latter, he didn’t let on. “Alright guys, go get changed. Take some of that makeup off. We’re going to Denny’s!” he yelled to the cast and crew, grinning ear-to-ear as they scrambled toward the changing rooms.

“You guys, too,” Nini said to Ashlyn, Kourtney, and Big Red once the cast had cleared out. “And you, Seb.” Her gaze fell on EJ and Gina, who had lingered after the show but remained on the periphery of the celebration. “You two coming?” she asked. They exchanged uncertain glances.

“You better be,” Ricky insisted. And while he could have chalked this up to the high of watching his students bring down the house, he knew, too, that he wouldn’t have felt right if he didn’t bring EJ and Gina along. They had, after all, come through in the end by filling out the crew. And despite all the trouble they’d caused, they deserved some credit for the show’s ultimate success, too. 

* * *

Ricky was among the last to arrive at the Denny’s, having stayed behind to make sure everything was in order backstage. He parked in the back of the lot, which was uncharacteristically full for ten thirty at night. As he entered, he could already see that the cast and crew had taken over the entire dining room, scattered at booths and tables, belting out songs from the soundtrack. 

At a booth in the corner, he spotted Nini and the others and moved to join them. Nini smiled, her eyes twinkling as he approached. She shifted over and patted the space beside her. 

“Alright, guys, dinner’s on me,” EJ announced. Ricky eyed him suspiciously for a moment, wondering if this was yet another attempt to prove he was sorry. He supposed that either way, it was a nice gesture on EJ’s part.

When the waitress returned with drinks, Ricky placed an order for a burger.

“A  _ burger _ ?” Nini asked, aghast.

“Yeah,” Ricky turned to her, one brow quirked in equal parts confusion and amusement. “Why?” 

“Dude, what are you? An animal,” Big Red teased. “Everybody  _ knows  _ you order breakfast at Denny’s.” 

Ricky shrugged as the rest of the table echoed this sentiment. 

When everyone had their food, Ricky picked up his soda and held it high. “Alright, everyone. A toast. We couldn’t have pulled this off without all of your help. Seriously. Costumes, set, sponsorship, crew… This show would have been nothing were it not for you. Cheers!”  They clinked their glasses and tucked into their meals. Nini hadn’t been aware of how hungry she was until the moment she stuffed a piece of pancake in her mouth. 

“You know,” Gina said after swallowing, “I used to be a bit of a thespian myself when I was in high school.” 

“Right on,” Big Red nodded, mouth full. “No judgment here. Love is love.” 

He looked confused when the entire table erupted into laughter.

* * *

Just after midnight, the last of the cast and crew filtered out of the restaurant. EJ settled the bill and slowly, they made their way out the door. 

“Well, this was fun,” Kourtney announced, breathing in the cool night air as she headed for her car. “We gotta do this again sometime, show or not.” 

“Definitely,” Seb agreed, following after her. 

“I’m gonna head out, too,” EJ announced with an exaggerated yawn. He turned back to Gina, Ricky, Nini, and Ashlyn. “See you guys in school?” 

Gina nodded, then made to follow him. She paused midway, turned, and scurried back to Ricky and Nini. “I just wanted to say thank you. For giving me a chance, and for including me tonight. It was… It was really nice.”

“You’re welcome,” Nini said tersely, but her smile wasn’t as forced as it used to be. 

Gina exhaled, a puff of breath visible in the air, lingering for a moment before she nodded, smiled once more, and made her way toward her car. 

Ashlyn nudged Big Red, then jerked her head in Ricky and Nini’s direction. “Let’s give them a moment?” 

“Oh, but I was just -” Big Red began, but Ashlyn looped her arm in his and dragged him toward the parking lot.

The two co-directors lingered at the curb like hosts seeing their guests off, watching the procession of cars pull out until all that remained were theirs. They stood in silence for a while longer, unwilling to admit that the night was coming to a close. 

Finally, Ricky walked Nini to her car, then glanced at his own across the lot and wished he’d parked closer so that they would have an excuse to linger together longer. He let out a sigh of contentment mixed with ruefulness, and he swung their joined hands as they came to a stop beside Nini’s driver side door. 

“I can’t believe it’s over. I’m not ready for it to be over.”

Already, Nini could feel the familiar tightness building in her throat, threatening to choke her just a little. She swallowed hard, trying to force it down because she refused to let herself be speechless at a time like this. “Me neither,” she peeped. “But we still have two more shows.” 

They both exchanged glances and knew it wasn’t at all what either of them meant. 

Ricky drew in a sharp breath. He’d practiced for this moment. He knew what he wanted to say to Nini. He’d written it in the notes on his phone. He’d almost enlisted Big Red to help him rehearse. But the words vanished from his mind now that he needed them. “I haven’t been a teacher for very long,” he started. “But this show, being your co-director… It’s definitely been the highlight of my career.” He stopped short of telling her that he was pretty sure it was also the highlight of his life. “And I don’t want it to end.” 

Nini looked up at him. His eyes were glassy with unspilled tears and his nose had turned red from the chilly night air. Her heart fluttered for just a moment with the realization that, if she could, she would gladly have lived in this moment forever. Holding Ricky Bowen’s hand in a Denny’s parking lot at nearly one in the morning. “It doesn’t have to end,” she told him, laughing to disguise the sob that was threatening to tear its way out of her throat. 

“Spring musical?” Ricky suggested, letting out a watery laugh of his own. 

“If we can somehow get the budget approved,” Nini laughed.

There was no stopping the tears anymore. Ricky broke first, releasing a strangled exhale as the first few tears cascaded down his cheek. Nini reached up, cradling his face in her hands, disrupting the stream with her thumbs even as she felt her own eyes spill over. Suddenly, he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. She found herself craning her neck and rising up on her tiptoes to meet him, throwing every emotion into this moment because she needed him to know that she’d meant it when she said this didn’t have to be the end.

When she worked up the courage to look at him once again, he was staring back at her, eyes glimmering with leftover tears and a smile tugging at his lips despite himself. She returned his smile, but noted, too, how quickly his faded.

“What now?” Ricky asked, and this time there was no misinterpreting what he meant. He was unable to shake the timidness in his voice. He felt like a child, terrified to ask for fear of the answer. 

What if this was just a moment for the both of them? What if, without a show to bring them together, whatever they had been building towards flamed out? The thought terrified him because whatever  _ this  _ was, made him feel warm. It made him feel somehow more complete. Staying at school hours after the kids had left, countless late-night FaceTime calls, early morning visits to each other’s classrooms, all the times they had ordered Postmates to the auditorium, every touch of the hand, every discrete kiss, every lyric that Nini wrote and every verse he composed to accompany it - these moments had become like oxygen to Ricky: necessary and life-sustaining. 

“I don’t know,” Nini answered, taking his hand and brushing his knuckles with her thumb. “But I know this much: the show may be over, but  _ this _ ...us... That’s not over. It can’t be. Because I like you, Ricky. A  _ lot _ . And if this entire thing has taught me anything, it’s that when the universe hands you an opportunity like this, you take it and you don’t let it go.” 

“I like you, too, Nini. A  _ lot _ . And if I’ve learned anything at all, it’s that if you want something, you can’t give up on it.” 

It seemed simple, then. And when Nini shrugged almost imperceptibly, she seemed to say as much. “Then we’ve got a whole school year, and all the time in the world after, to figure out the rest,” she said. 

“Promise?” 

“Promise,” she agreed, leaning up to press her lips against his once more.   
  



End file.
